Australian Culture Stereotypes and Myths List – The Truthful, Almost Accurate and Downright Silly!

After Oprah’s recent visit to Australia which generated a tonne of publicity, but probably not too many extra visitors because the strong Australian dollar is making the place a tad expensive, I’ve decided to confirm and maybe bust a few Australian Culture Stereotypes that are often thrown around about Australians (including the rather colourful Australian Slang, Expressions and Colloquialisms.

Mostly, we’re a fairly casual lot and don’t take ourselves too seriously. My ideal day at the office is shown below:

Australian Culture Stereotypes – from a local! – 10 Silly Australian Stereotypes

Anyway, I’d like to clarify a few things about Australia for any international visitors who would like to travel to the geographic backside of the world (meaning, we’re so far away from everything else!):

1. Hardly any Aussies look like, or act like Crocodile Dundee or Steve Irwin.
2. Most metropolitan areas do not have kangaroos jumping around in the streets.
3. Australians do not drink Fosters beer.  Myself included. You won’t see many cartons of Fosters in the bottle shops located throughout the country. You’re more likely to come across Fosters overseas!
4. Australians do not have a similar accent to our cousins in New Zealand.  To prove my point, check out the Beached Whale clip.  Sometimes, Kiwis need subtitles. Ironically, this video was created by a couple of crazy guys in Sydney…
5. However, Australians always try to claim all the best Kiwis as our own. Some of these include Neil Finn from Crowded House, and Russell Crowe (when he’s behaving himself).
6. Neighbours is just Coronoation Street with sunshine.
7. It’s true that there are harsher prison sentences for failing to declare goods such as fruit or salami, than if you bring in other dodgy substances such as hard drugs.
8. Two weeks is not enough time to ‘see’ Australia.  That’s like saying two weeks is enough time to see the United States.
9. Stealing a loaf of bread was the only action required for English people to score a free boat trip to Australia in the 1790’s.  In the 21st century, bringing a loaf of bread into the country is enough cause for deportation due to quarantine laws that are probably stricter than U.S. Homeland Security legislation (See point 7).
10. Unfortunately, the use of the word ‘thongs’ means flip flops, not skimpy underwear.

More Australian Stereotype and Myths Stuff