Things People Think About Aussies That Flat Out Aren’t True
I have so often been told that I’m not a “typical” Australian, usually by someone who isn’t an Aussie themselves. No matter where I travel to, there is always someone who has to comment on something that just isn’t true or is distorted beyond beleif.
I was in Male in north west Africa and this kid started telling me that I eat Kangaroo for breakfast! Everyone’s got an opinion I guess.
Here are MANY MANY things that you hear about Australia and Australian’s that we either hate or just aren’t true. Knock yourself out! (That’s Aussie for read on…)
Things We Do or Don’t Say As Australians
Throw another shrimp on the barbi.
OMG – no Aussie I have ever known has said these words. Firstly we call them prawns and mostly we eat them cold (after being boiled in sea water) with tartare sauce or seafood sauce. Yes we do sometimes cook them on the BBQ but we don’t throw them and NEVER call them shrimp. A shrimp is not a word we use in Australia.
Yeah Nah
This is the equivalent of saying “Yeah I heard you” but “Nah I’m not doing/saying that”. The yeah signifies we’ve heard the question but the “nah” signifies that nope – that will not be on the horizon for me. This used to be a real Queensland thing, but its most Australians now.
The Dunny
This is one I actually still use. I am not sure why or how I ever did but I’m the only person I know that uses dunny instead of toilet. Loo is probably the most used adjective for the toilet.
We’re Not Here to #%^& Spiders
Basically this is saying “well I’m here to do whatever it is I’m doing, and I’m not interested in wasting time by socialising in an intimate matter with a spider”. This isn’t used as much as it used to be but Margo Robbie did bring it back into fashion by using it on the Graeme Norton show.
Don’t Say We Are From Down Under
When you meet us somewhere else – don’t ask how things are “down under” we hate that almost as much a a barbie full of shrimps.
The Outback
While we don’t typically use this word in everyday conversation, the “Outback” refers to any land in any state which is in the middle of the country. Usually it means as soon as the bush thins out (IE: there are less and less trees) and the temperature rises, that is the Outback.
We think of it as red, sandy, HOT HOT HOT and with almost no people.
A lot of us always wonder why people choose to live out there as well.
Football, Soccer and Other Sports
Football or footy in Australia can be referring to one of three codes. If you live in Western Australia or South Australia, you are probably talking about Australian Rules. If you live in Queensland you will be talking about Rugby League and if you live in New South Wales, or Victoria you could mean either Rugby League or Rugby Union.
What you NEVER mean is what we call soccer. Soccer is always soccer. We never call it football.
The New Zealand – Australia rivalry is famous. We love New Zealand until we are playing them in Rugby, Union or Netball and then all bets are off!
Cricket is big in Australia due to our English influence. We are sometimes world champions and sometimes crap. It’s a vicious cycle. Our cricketers are paid WAY more than almost all of our other team sport players. There is no salary cap in cricket.
We’re not known for our Athletic prowess but that is improving as our diversity does. Some of our best sprinters are African born which is pretty cool.
We LOVE to “smash” the Americans at swimming. After the “smash them like guitars” comment from Garry Hall Jr at the 2000 Olympics, we love to beat the US, especially in the relay. And yes, the relays are often the most watched events in Australia during the Olympics. There’s something about the team element that we love.
We Have Many Words For The Same Thing
I think its because we are such a large country, but there can be 5 different words that all mean the same thing. You can often tell where someone is from just from the phrasing and local vernacular they use.
For example: A swimsuit might be Togs (Qld), a Cossie (NSW), Swimmers (anywhere) or Bathers (WA).
Men’s speedos might be called: D!*k Daks, C@#k Jocks, or of course the world known Budgie Smugglers. Mostly we call them sad!
Australian Animals and Animal Behaviours
Kangaroos Are Not On Every Street Corner
Despite what everyone thinks, we don’t have Kangaroos hopping down the streets. I’m not saying that doesn’t happen – I’ve had to stop and avoid a roo many many times when we lived on acreage, but for the most part that’s only on the outskirts of town. Kangaroos don’t live in the cities.
Australia: Where Everything Tries To Kill You
Not everything here will kill you. Well it won’t necessarily try anyway. Yes we have sharks, snakes, jellyfish & spiders but so does everywhere else. Except NZ and Samoa for snakes. They won’t actively try to attack you (for the most part unless a shark thinks you’re a nice tasty seal), but step on a king brown and you better have your phone handy.
I’ve been bitten by a Redback Spider and was quite unwell but nothing more than that. I was bitten on the butt though and there is ample padding in that area so the venom may not have gone that deep!
Snakes are another story….
SNAKE TIP FOR AUSTRALIA!
Our snakes are not vipers which is where the danger lies to visitors especially from America. The venom in Australian snakes is moved through your body by your adrenal system so the more you move and panic the faster the venom is distributed.
You can’t “walk out” of the bush with an Australian snake bite. Stop, sit, strap it and call for help, or send someone else for help. Follow our St Johns Ambulance directive for how to treat the bite. Our emergency number is 000 NOT 911.
Drop Bears Aren’t Real
We have a rum in Australia made from sugar cane (as all rum is I think) from a town called Bundaberg. Bundaberg is where the mill is and the rum is called Bundaberg Rum. We shorten it to Bundy. Wierdly the Bundy Rum logo is a polar bear. Don’t ask why – its one of those things…
What does this have to do with drop bears you ask? About a decade ago (or maybe longer) Bundy had an ad that talked about drop bears. It was a group of guys camped near a group of girls and they wanted the girls to move closer, so they told the girls that there were “drop bears” in the area and then the Bundy rum bear plummeted to the ground right next to the girls. The girls ran to be close to the boys and the “drop bear” was born.
They aren’t real, despite what some Australian might tell you.
Koalas and Chlamydia
Despite deforestation and domestic animals being everywhere now, our Koala’s are under threat by chlamydia more than any other thing. They catch it and it spreads causing all sorts of cancers and challenges and they die. Unfortunately its very prolific but steps are in place for vaccinations to take place. Check out WWF for more info.
Tasmanian Devils and Their Facial Tumors
While the Tassie Devils are facing some very challenging times their facial tumors are actually helping with other human cancer research. The tassie devils are battling a very bad tumor epidemic. The infection produces small lesions which turn in to tumors on their face.
While they are cancerous tumours, they catch a virus which produces the tumors. So a virus produces cancer. The only other known instance of this is the Human Papillomavirus which causes cervical cancer in women.
So Tassie Devils and Women may be linked!
Australians as People
We Don’t Look Like The Hemsworth’s or Elle McPherson
Even in Australia, the Hemsworth brothers are unique. Less than 1% of our men look like any of the Hemsworth Brothers or Hugh Jackman. I’m not kidding – way less than 1%.
Usually our young men these days have awful mullets, ugly moustaches and are less than ripped.
Likewise our women are real women. We don’t have stick legs, we aren’t all tanned and we come in all shapes and sizes.
People Think We Are Not Smart
I’m not sure what it is about us that makes people believe that we are not the sharpest tools in the shed, but they often do. I think its the accent that makes us sound not so intelligent. Whatever it is, we have the same number of exceedingly smart people as anywhere else. We just sound a bit daft.
Oh, and our accents are quite different depending on where you are from. I’m a Queenslander so mine is quite mild, but my husband is from country Western Australia and his is strong.
Indigenous Australians Are Celebrated
Our indigenous cultures are identified by language not necessarily regions. ATSIC says there are more than 800 dialects Australia wide and often even communities living close to each other can’t communicate with each other using language.
In the past we have had some challenges with idiots thinking that all “real” Australian’s are white, but that just isn’t the case. We are a true multicultural society which is reflected in our food, our regions, our traditions, our number of religions and even our clothing.
We now are, as a country, celebrating our Indigenous cultures, art and languages and I personally have HIGH hopes for our future as a progressive tolerant society.
Our Population Make Up
Australia has immigrants from more than 180 countries living here. Yup – we are definitely multicultural for sure.
I’m always amazed when I go to different countries and they don’t have the selection of food that we do. Ordering Uber Eats can be a challenge for us. We have to decide between about 30 different types of food just in our neighbourhood. It’s pretty amazing!
Kiwi’s Aren’t Australians and Australian’s Aren’t Kiwis!
Even though we do have a very close relationship with New Zealand, don’t EVER ask Kiwi (New Zealander) if they are Australian. Ooohhh – that will not end well. Even if you meet them in Australia, even if they have lived here for 30 years, they are from New Zealand and will not take kindly to being labelled as Aussie.
If you aren’t sure, ask them about eating hot chips (fries to you Americans). If they say the word as “chups” – yup they are Kiwis.
Fun Fact: As Australians we can move to New Zealand and start work tomorrow. Likewise, Kiwi’s can do the same. However there are some things that are lacking. Some health services aren’t available to New Zealanders even if they are living here and paying tax. Something both out governments should think about.
YES Australians are BIG Travellers
I am often told that Australians and Germans are everywhere. Does it matter that I’m Australian but of German descent? Maybe that combination is why I love to travel. Yes we are everywhere and as a society we don’t just travel we move homes, cities and states.
It isn’t unusual for an Australian family of my generation to have 3 or 4 children that all live in different parts of the country. With the exception of Adelaide and Melbourne (which are known for their cold weather), most of our cities have decent summers and not too cold winters.
Of course Cairns, Townsville and Darwin are hot and hotter, but for the most part if you move from Perth to Sydney, the change won’t be massive with regard to seasons. Now before you Aussies get started, yes the weather is different, but its not like moving from San Diego to Chicago. We don’t have super extremes in weather unless you live above the 26th Parallel, so its not like you have to buy a whole new wardrobe.
We move for work, for weather, for lifestyle and don’t think twice about it. Almost 55% of Australians have a passport that has been used.
In conclusion, Australia and its people are as diverse and unique as the land itself. By understanding the realities behind these common misconceptions, we can appreciate the rich culture, history, and character that define this incredible nation.
Embracing the truth helps foster deeper connections and a genuine appreciation for all things Australian. Yes we are a unique bunch that’s for sure, but we love that about ourselves.
So, next time you think of Australia, remember there’s always more to the story than meets the eye!
Meet Jenny, a passionate Australian travel blogger who has explored 103 countries to date. With over 30 years of travel experience, Jenny has a wealth of knowledge to share with her readers about the cultures, landscapes, and people she has encountered on her journeys. She’s always battling unfashionably frizzy hair and you will never catch Jenny in anything but comfortable shoes. Learn more about Jenny and her travels.