AUSTRALIA

MEMBERS
LEADER: AMA,DARLENE
ALCARIA,SHENA
ANDAYA,ZID
AUSTRALI
A • Australia is world famous for its
natural wonders and wide open
spaces, its beaches, deserts, "the
bush", and "the Outback".
Australia is one of the world's
most highly urbanised countries;
it is well known for the attractions
of its large cities such as Sydney,
Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth.
 LOCATION

• Australia is both a continent & a country.

• It lies about 2,000 miles southeast of Asia.
• It’s surrounded by the Pacific Ocean on the east
and the Indian Ocean on the west.
• It’s in the southern hemisphere.
• Literally the “land down under”!
• Australia is the largest landmass on the
continent of Australia. Oceania is a region
made up of thousands of islands throughout the
Central and South Pacific Ocean. It includes
Australia, the smallest continent in terms of
total land area.
CLIMATE

• The climate varies across the continent.

• Australia is south of the equator, so it’s climate is
opposite that of North America.
• Summer: December through March
• Winter: June through September
• The northern part of Australia is closest to the
equator.
• It has a tropical climate and is warm-to-hot all year
round.
• It gets more rain than any other part of the country.
• Winter: wet and cool
• Summer: hot and dry
 TOURISM

• Tourists from the northern

hemisphere visit Australia’s warm
beaches when it’s winter in their
country.
• Tourists usually wait until spring
or fall to visit the rural areas and
the outback.
• It’s not too hot then.
 NATURAL RESOURCES

• Outback refers to the dry interior of

Australia.
• It’s mainly open countryside, including vast
expanses of grazing land.
• There are only a few widely scattered
settlements in the Outback.
• Many of them grew up around mining
operations.
 NATURAL RESOURCES
• Across much of Australia, the ground is
barren & not ideal for farming (outback).
• Many minerals are found here: gold, silver,
uranium, coal, copper, & iron ore
• Australia has exported nearly $400 billion
worth of metals, minerals, & fuels in the
past 20 years.
• Natural resources account for 1/3 of the
country’s economy!
 NATURAL RESOURCES
• Australia exports more coal & iron ore than any other
country.
• It leads the world in mining bauxite, titanium, &
diamonds.
• No other country has more reserves of lead, cadmium,
or nickel.
• Natural resources have always been important to
Australian trade.
• In the mid-1800s, Australia had a gold rush in the
southern region.
• Thousands of immigrants moved to Australia to find
gold.
• Many came from England, Ireland, Germany, & China.
 WHERE PEOPLE LIVE

• Nearly 80% of Australians live in urban

areas.
• Australia is one of the world’s most
urbanized countries.
• 70% of all Australians live in cities of more
than 100,000 people.
• Sydney has 3.5 million people.
• Melbourne has about 3 million people.
• Australia’s top trading partners for exports
TRADE
are: China (29.5%), Japan (19.3%), South
Korea (8%), & India (4.9%).
• Australia’s top trading partners for imports
are: China (18.2%), US (11.6%), Japan
(7.8%), Singapore (5.9%), Germany (4.6%),
Thailand (4.2%), & South Korea (4%).
• Australia exports tons of natural resources to
China.
• 50% of iron ore exports go to China.
• In return, China provides Australia with
affordable finished goods (cars, kitchen
appliances, etc.).
 TOURISM
• Foreign tourists create only 1/4 of Australia’s $81 billion tourist
industry.
• Australia’s location makes it expensive for people to visit from
other countries.
• Australians do the majority of tourism within their own
country.
• Its remote location in the Southern Hemisphere makes it
expensive for Australians to leave & visit other countries.
 AUSTRALIAN
CULTURE
• Greetings
• Greetings are usually informal in social settings.
• First names are almost always used during initial introductions.
• A handshake is the common greeting between strangers. Shaking with a firm hand and eye
contact reflects confidence.
• If you are a newcomer, take the initiative to introduce yourself. Depending on the situation,
your Australian counterpart may expect you to do it yourself as opposed to introducing you to
others.
• It is sometimes assumed that people will get to know each other as they mingle in a social
setting. In this context, an introduction is not always necessary and handshaking can seem
forced and awkward.
• Different physical greetings depend on one’s sense of another person’s comfort level.
• Religion
• Australia is a secular country, with a high degree of religious freedom and religious
diversity. Although the state and religious groups are maintained as separate entities,
religious institutions continue to play a large role in Australian society. For example, many
primary and secondary schools, hospitals, aged-care facilities and charity organizations are
owned and funded by religious organizations.
• Christianity is currently the most dominant religion in Australia, introduced by British
settlers at colonization. There has always been a degree of religious diversity in Australia.
However, it was not until the abolition of the White Australia Policy (in the 1970s) that
non-European communities were able to significantly establish themselves and grow in
numbers. Since then, the country has seen growing diversity of non-Christian religions as
well.
• Family
• The average Australian household has been classically understood as a nuclear family
with their extended family living separately. However, today the archetypal family
(husband, wife and children) can no longer be the exact social expectation. The increase
in divorce and remarriage has created households that incorporate step-parents, step-
children and step-siblings. The number of unwed mothers has also risen and many
children are raised in single parent households. As the stigma associated with same-sex
relationships diminishes, it is becoming more common for same-sex couples to have
children or for families to incorporate LGBTQI+ relationships into their households.
There is also further diversity as 49% Australians have at least one parent born overseas
(2016 Census). These multicultural families may have cultural customs that are particular
to their country of birth. For example, it is more common to find extended family living
with the nuclear family in migrant households.
• While the traditional family structure is no
longer a realistic social standard, the family
remains fundamentally important to people
throughout their life. Individualism is
highly valued and Australians usually
encourage their family members' to be
independent and follow their personal
aspirations. Children are often taught to
subconsciously think of themselves as
‘special’ or ‘unique’ as they grow up. The
cultural idea pervades: you are what you
make of yourself and who you choose to
be. People are expected to be self-reliant,
self-determining and responsible for their
choices.
• Naming
• Australian names generally follow English naming
conventions. Overseas-born Australians generally
adapt their names to fit these conventions in formal
documents.
• English naming conventions arrange names as
follows: [first given name] [middle given name(s)]
[FAMILY NAME]. For example, Jack Samuel
ADAMS (male) or Emily Claire TAYLOR
(female).
• One’s ‘first name’, known as a ‘personal name’ or
‘given name’, is chosen at birth as the individual’s
personal identifier. It always comes before the
family name.
• The ‘family name’, known as a ‘surname’ or ‘last
name’, is inherited from one’s parents and shared
with other members of the individual’s immediate
family.
 DATES OF SIGNIFICANCE

• National Holidays
• New Year’s Day (1st of January)
• Australia Day* (26th of January)
• Easter (Varies by year)
• ANZAC Day (25th of April)
• Labour Day (Traditionally 1st of May, Varies in each state)
• Queen’s Birthday (Technically 21st of April, Varies in each state)
• Christmas Eve (24th of December)
• Christmas Day (25th of December)
• Boxing Day (26th of December)
• New Year’s Day (31st of December)
 DATE OF SIGNIFICANCE
• Regional Holidays
• Royal Hobart Regatta (Tasmania)
• Adelaide Cup (South Australia) • National Observances
• Canberra Day (Australian Capital Territory) • Mothers’ Day (8th of May)
• Eight Hour Day (Tasmania)
• National Sorry Day (26th of May)
• Reconciliation Day (Australian Capital Territory)
• Western Australia Day (Western Australia) • National Reconciliation Week (27th
• Bank Holiday (New South Wales) of May - 3rd of June)
• Picnic Day (Northern Territory) • NAIDOC* Week (1st week of July)
• Royal National Agricultural Show Day/Ekka • Fathers’ Day (4th of September)
Holiday (Queensland)
• AFL Grand Final Day (Victoria) • Remembrance Day (11th of
• Recreation Day (Tasmania) November)
• Melbourne Cup Day (Victoria)
• Etiquette
• People are rarely criticized if someone fails
to observe formal etiquette (e.g. forgetting to
dress smartly). Commenting on someone’s
poor manners can be seen as overly formal.
• Moderate swearing is common among
friends and is not always considered rude.
• Women are seen as capable individuals who
can help themselves. Therefore, it is not
considered wholly necessary for men to
open car doors (etc.) for women. Doing so is
recognized as very polite and courteous, but
can also sometimes be seen as patronizing
depending on the circumstance.
• When out to eat or for a drink, split bills equally
by having people pay only for the food and
drink they’ve ordered. It is a common practice
to buy ‘rounds’ of drinks while out with a
group. If it is your round, you are expected to
buy drinks for everyone you are with. Each
individual who receives a drink will be
expected to pay for at least one round.
• Being reluctant to part with cash or share food
or drink is seen as ‘stingy’ if other people have
paid their share. Furthermore, asking friends to
pay for you on more than one occasion is seen
as ‘scabbing’ and creates a bad reputation.
• Being overdressed for a gathering is sometimes
considered more embarrassing than being
underdressed.
• Visiting
• People usually visit one another simply for the company and conversation with the primary
purpose being socialization, not feasting. Thus, Australians sometimes find it awkward and
overly-formal when people prepare a large amount food for their visit or are extreme in their
hospitality during the visit. For example, they don’t naturally expect a tour of someone’s
house.
• Arrange a visit before going to an Australian’s house. Do not arrive unannounced or bring
friends and family along unless you’ve asked them beforehand.
• Ask the host ahead of time whether or not they would like you to bring a contribution (i.e.
food or drink). It is common to bring a carton of beer or some other alcohol when visiting a
friend.
• Avoid arriving early to one’s house.
• It is usually okay to be 10 to 15 minutes late to a small gathering of people. However, if you
are meeting at a restaurant, it is important to be punctual as people will wait for you to order
their food.
 SUMMARIZ
E
• Australia Day recalls the arrival of the First Fleet under Governor Phillip in 1778.
It marked the beginning of European settlement in Australia and of Indigenous
dispossession. For most Indigenous Australians with a sense of their own history,
Australia Day is an occasion for grief. For many other Australians, it is an
uncomfortable day, one for rumination, for pondering the creation and the
destruction of cultures and for revisiting the relationship between Indigenous
peoples and the overseas invaders. To understand its significance, however, it is
helpful to set the arrival of the first fleet in a broader context, beginning with the
arrival of Captain Cook in Botany Bay eight years earlier
REFERENC
E
• Gifts
• Gifts are usually only given on special occasions (e.g. birthdays,
Christmas).
• People tend to open gifts in front of the giver, either upon receiving them
or later along with other presents.
• Recipients do not usually expect to receive gifts of a high monetary
value, but rather that the gift will reflect their interests.
• Token gifts may be given when visiting a house (e.g. beer, wine,
chocolate).
• Do’s
• Try to take Australian humour in jest and indulge in their jokes. Making self-deprecating jokes
is often a fast way to build familiarity, as it is a non-arrogant way or showing that you are self-
confident but don’t take yourself too seriously.
• Keep a measure on how much you criticize others directly.
• Try to relax and enjoy yourself in casual settings. Australians often warm to informality and
tend to bond quickly with people who seem genuine and comfortable in casual social situations.
• In any situation that allows for it, pitch in and contribute to the shared expense or task however
possible. For example, if you are taking a trip in someone else’s car, offering to contribute to
fuel costs will be appreciated.
• Respect the natural environment, wildlife and land of Australia. Protection of the country’s
ecology is very important to many Australians.
• Be aware that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the original custodians of the
land and recognize the impact colonization has had on their people. See Other Considerations
for more advice on how to be culturally sensitive in this regard.
• Don'ts
• Do not boast or make ostentatious comments that give the impression that you see
yourself as superior to others. Some Australians may find this contrived and obnoxious.
• Avoid asking people to do tasks that you are clearly capable of doing.
• Avoid seeming too conscious or constrained by rules as this could potentially make you
seem untrustworthy or likely to ‘dob’ on them.
• Avoid mentioning the divisive topics of Australian society (e.g. refugees, Indigenous
affairs) unless you are approaching it with sensitivity and are prepared to hear adverse
opinions.
• Avoid being overly combative or argumentative. Australians tend to avoid the company
of people who are too opinionated and may consider them a controversial character and
be less enticed to keep your company.
 AUSTRALIAN
TRADITIONS
• Holidays – Australians celebrate many of the
same holidays celebrated in the Western world, • Food – Some of the most popular
but also some unique to Australian culture. One
of which is Anzac Day, a holiday set to honour meals in Australia include seafood and
Australians who have died in wars. The large portions of meat. However,
celebration consists of veterans marching through traditional Australian food includes the
streets and ceremonies that take place throughout infamous Vegemite – a black spread
the day. ‘Anzac’ stands for Australian and New made from yeast extract and salt that
Zealand Army Corps and takes place on the 25th
of April. Another popular holiday is Australia is regularly spread on one’s morning
Day, a celebration commemorating the 26th of toast, Pavola – a popular dessert with a
January 1788, when Australia was declared a new fruity and creamy filling, and meat pie.
colony by the English. Fireworks and outdoor
activities close the summer vacation in the most
enjoyable of ways.
• Music – Contemporary pop music is listened to most
frequently in Australia. However, Indigenous Australian
artists still practice traditional music styles that may
sometimes fuse with European and contemporary
interpretations. Some traditional forms of music include
Bunggul, Wangga and Kun-borrk, and instruments include
the didgeridoo or clapsticks. Traditional Australian music
has existed for 40,000 years.
• Traditional clothing in Australia is said to be that of
swagmen and bushmen of the past. They wore long
trousers, buttoned sleeves, strong leather boots, and
hats with corks hanging from the brim to keep away
flies.