10 Interesting Things You Should Know About Australian Culture
Australian culture is quite unique and there are many features and characteristics that make it stand out from the culture of many other countries around the world.
If you are planning to come to Australia, these are the 10 things you should know about Australian culture.
1. Australians Are Known For Their Friendly Nature
Generally speaking, Australians are friendly, honest, and open-minded people.
For example, if you see a stranger on the street, you can smile and say hi to them, and they’re likely to smile back and reply to your greetings.
Australians are also known for their laid-back attitude and sense of humor as well.
They like to have fun, crack jokes, and if you are coming to Australia for the first time, you might find it a bit challenging to understand some of their jokes.
So a tip for you is to not take things too seriously and just go with the flow. And if you do not understand their jokes at the start, you will start getting the jokes in a while.
2. Australians Love Sports
Whether it is Football, AFL, Cricket, Rugby, or any other sport, Australians are very competitive in sports, and Australian fans love to back their home team regardless of the sport they’re playing.
So if your home country’s teams are coming here to play against Australia, be ready to face hardcore Australian fans along with their teams.
Australians also love sports because it is a way to connect with other people, to share stories and experiences, and to feel a sense of community.
If you are just arriving in Australia, then we suggest you read our complete guide on AFL (Australian Football League) here.
3. Australians Don’t Have a Specific Religion
Many Australians don’t follow any specific religion, and some of them don’t follow any religion at all.
Even though they don’t follow any specific religion, they openly accept the practice of any other religion.
As Australia is a multicultural society, you can see people from all types of religion.
As per the latest Australian census data (2021), here are the most common religions in Australia:
- Christianity (43.9%)
- No religion (38.9%)
- Islam (3.2%)
- Hinduism (2.7%)
- Buddhism (2.4%)
So don’t worry, you will be okay to practice your own religion without any issues.
4. Meeting an Australian person for the first time
As we discussed earlier, Australians are quite casual, but when meeting them for the first time, make sure to shake hands with them.
Australians usually like a firm handshake, and it’s very important to maintain eye contact with the person you’re speaking to, as not looking into their eyes is disrespectful, and it seems as if you are hiding something (untrustable personality).
As friendly as they are, if you’re meeting Australians for the first time, don’t try to get too close to them; they don’t feel very comfortable about that.
Generally, you can talk about their culture, country, sports, etc. You can also ask them about their favorite places in Australia, or what they think is the best thing about living there.
It’s always a good idea to avoid discussing topics related to politics, religious beliefs or any other controversial topics.
5. Australians Love Their Slang
Australians try to abbreviate everything they say aka their slangs.
You might feel overwhelmed with Australian abbreviations or slang at the start.
If you don’t understand their slangs, it’s a good idea to ask them to repeat what they say again.
Or just tell them you’re new here, and you don’t understand the slang, and saying “hello” is much better than saying “good day mate.”
We have a comprehensive list of Australian slangs (120+) on our website here.
6. Australians Don’t Accept Discrimination Or Racism.
It is illegal in Australia to discriminate against people based on their color, race, religion, gender or any other attribute. There is a law in the country about discrimination to protect human rights.
We are not saying that there is no racism or discrimination in Australia, but you will rarely find discrimination or racism happening in Australia.
If you experience discrimination, you may be able to take legal action against it.
7. Tipping Waiters Is Not Customary
If you are working in the hospitality industry as a waiter, a waitress, or even in the kitchen, don’t expect to get any tips.
Generally, the wages and salaries in Australia are excellent, as the minimum wage per hour in Australia from 1st July 2022 is $21.38 per hour, (the highest minimum wage in the world)
However, sometimes if you provide an excellent service to the patrons, you might end up getting a tip.
8. Arrive On Time For Meetings
Australians usually don’t like to be late for meetings.
As laid-back as they are, Australians still try to arrive on time for any meeting, whether it’s an interview, a business meeting or just meeting someone casually. So make sure to arrive on time when meeting an Australian.
And if you can’t make it on time, make sure that you let that person know by text or by calling them that you are running late.
9. Etiquette in Public Transportation
When boarding public transport in Australia, you must give way to the exit passengers first and make sure to queue when catching any public transport. Don’t try to skip the queue.
It’s very important not to eat any food while traveling on public transport in Australia, as you might even end up getting a penalty for that in some cities.
It’s also a good idea not to speak too loudly on public transport.
You can learn more about Public Transport Etiquette here.
10. Dating Culture in Australia
If you are planning to date someone in Australia, it’s very important to know these factors;
Unlike many other cultures, where people like to kiss each other on the cheek when they meet for the first time, Australians are reluctant to do that for the first meeting. So try to avoid that when you’re meeting someone for the first time.
People often go out for drinks or coffee with a potential partner before deciding if they want to pursue a further relationship.
Casual dating is also popular in Australia, and many people choose to date multiple people simultaneously.
Many Australians also use different apps for finding their love.
Regardless of gender, anyone can ask for a date in Australia.
Apart from meeting people through apps and online platforms, you can also meet people at:
- Educational institute,
- Workplace,
- Community groups
- Sports
- Other events.
When going on a date with a potential partner, it’s a good idea to split your bills in half.
So these are the 10 things that you should know about Australian culture before moving here.
