Australia Local Customs

 
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Most Viewed Local Customs in Australia

201.

Tipping and Prices   Sydney

Tipping and Prices, Sydney

 17 Reviews  Tipping is not the norm in Sydney. Americans and Europeans often tip but only because they think it is the custom here. Wages are good in Australia and tipping isn't necessary. Last year, I worked in... 

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202.

Aboriginal Culture   Perth

Aboriginal Culture, Perth

 4 Reviews  Australian Aboriginal culture can claim to be the oldest continuous living culture on the planet. Recent dating of the earliest known archaeological sites on the Australian continent - using... 

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203.

General   Brisbane

General, Brisbane

 21 Reviews  Have you heard of the Spider drink? I thought it was common world wide, but evidently not, it is unique to Australia and New Zealand. In other parts of the World it is known as an "Ice-cream soda" or... 

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204.

Tipping   Adelaide

Tipping, Adelaide

 8 Reviews  Only a fool would tip in Australia. It is not required and not expected. Perhaps people in the tourist industry would act as though it is expected...but wages here are not calculated to take account... 

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205.

Driving, Road Rules   Canberra

Driving, Road Rules, Canberra

 4 Reviews  I noticed that in Canberra, above all other cities in Australia, Ute drivers had something to say. In particular, this driver's vehicle was a rolling billboard, although he had so many messages, I... 

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206.

Pako Festa   Geelong

Pako Festa, Geelong

 14 Reviews  The Polish/Australian community.. in their lovely traditional costumes. Many of these people have special schools operating, in the hope that their children will not forget their heritage, language... 

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207.

Drinks and Food   Sydney

Drinks and Food, Sydney

 24 Reviews  Pure Blonde is an Australian Beer that my wife has come to love. Every visit to Australia she looks forward to her first glass of this frosty brew. It's light, crisp and very refreshing; I rather like... 

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208.

Slang   Brisbane

Slang, Brisbane

 3 Reviews  Aussie slang is not what usually the word was oriiginally meant for example : someone tells you your gay it does not mean your sexual preference , it means your being stupid. Yes I know new one on me... 

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209.

Tipping, GST   Canberra

Tipping, GST, Canberra

 2 Reviews  In general it is not customary to tip in Australia though this is now changing and ten percent will sometimes be added to hotel bills. In some of the more exclusive restaurants it is usual to tip up... 

 See All 19 Local Customs in Canberra

210.

Baywalk Bollards   Geelong

Baywalk Bollards, Geelong

 1 Review  Too often people drive right through Geelong on their way to the famous surf beaches. With money being poured into redevelopment in Geelong (especially the waterfront) Geelong is fast becoming one of... 

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211.

Australian People   Sydney

Australian People, Sydney

 19 Reviews  As in most cities; you will find street performers. In Sydney there were several costumed performers at various tourist sites; Darling Harbour, Circular Quay, etc. Take a picture if you must but... 

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212.

Brisbane Exhibition   Brisbane

Brisbane Exhibition, Brisbane

 3 Reviews  This is one of the big events of the year - when for 10 days, the folks from the country meet up the those from the city. Starts on 16 August this year, starting with the cattle judging for the... 

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213.

Laws/Crime   Canberra

Laws/Crime, Canberra

 2 Reviews  In every state there is a State Police Force. eg; NSW Police When your in Canberra they have the Federal Police. In other states Federal Police are reserved for my bigger issues Such as Customs,... 

 See All 19 Local Customs in Canberra

214.

General Sydney/Aussie Customs   Sydney

General Sydney/Aussie Customs, Sydney

 27 Reviews  Here in Australia they drive on the left side of the road. This can make an American a bit batty trying to get accustomed. Remember when crossing the street to look right. Before the Sydney Olympics... 

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215.

Dress Sense   Brisbane

Dress Sense, Brisbane

 2 Reviews  Casual wear such as a pair of jeans and a sports shirt are acceptable at casual restaurants and pubs at night. Just don’t wear thongs (flip flops) work boots or go shoeless. Of course upmarket... 

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216.

Festivals, markets   Canberra

Festivals, markets, Canberra

 3 Reviews  The day we were in Canberra (Feb 2005), we were lucky to catch the start of a 10 day multicultural festival, held in one of the main squares of the city. There was free entertainment by travelling... 

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217.

Aussie Slang   Sydney

Aussie Slang, Sydney

 4 Reviews   It was a funny experience to discover the Australian local slang ;-) I was learning English there and I will remember my very first day in Brisbane forever. I was waiting the local bus to my... 

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218.

Vegemite   Brisbane

Vegemite, Brisbane

 3 Reviews  Vegemite celebrated its 80th birthday in 2003 - and the jingle first used in 1954 "We're happy little vegemites...we're bright as bright can be.. " was contemporised for radio and television to... 

 See All 59 Local Customs in Brisbane

219.

Dress   Canberra

Dress, Canberra

 1 Review  Canberra is the seat of the Australian Government and as such the dress code in Canberra is a little more formal than in other cities in the country. For business people it is the norm for both men... 

 See All 19 Local Customs in Canberra

220.

Australia Day   Sydney

Australia Day, Sydney

 4 Reviews  Australia Day, January 26th, to welcome the day local aboriginals perform the ceremony of Woggan Ma Gule. The guvorner of NSW attanded and afterwards there was a Q&A session. The perfect way to start... 

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221.

Climate   Canberra

Climate, Canberra

 1 Review  The temperatures in Canberra vary considerably from summer to winter. Rug up for the winter months as temps often drop below zero at night and are usually below 10C in the day. . In summer the... 

 See All 19 Local Customs in Canberra

222.

Festivals   Sydney

Festivals, Sydney

 7 Reviews  49th Sydney Film Festival - where you get to see the BEST new movies from around the world! Australians love the arts and the Sydney Film Festival is the perfect time to enjoy movies and talent from... 

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223.

Sydney Buildings   Sydney

Sydney Buildings, Sydney

 4 Reviews  St Mary's Cathedral - Free guided tours of the Cathedral & Crypt Sundays 12noon, following the Solemn Sung Mass. Magnificent stained glass windows are a feature of this superb Catholic Cathedral. A... 

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224.

Historical   Sydney

Historical, Sydney

 5 Reviews  If a student of culture you might be able to locate the significance of the re visit 38 years later....like the trips down memory lane as a cultural thing. But then, go to the zoo and check out the... 

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225.

ANZAC Day   Sydney

ANZAC Day, Sydney

 1 Review  If you are in town for ANZAC day, attend a Dawn Service. It is so moving; it doesn't matter what nationality you are. Everyone can relate to the memorial. It takes place at Martin Place in downtown... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Sugar Production

by darthmilmo

I visited the Sugar Mill at Condong, which is operated by the NSW Sugar Coop. It is one of the oldest in Australia. I went ahead and took an informative tour of the complex. I learned that the sugar mills require 7 tons of sugar cane to produce 1 ton or raw sugar. After the sugar cane is cultivated, it is send to the sugar mills for refining. This plant can produce 28 tons of raw sugar per hour. It operates from June to December, so you do the math... that's a lot of sugar :). The production starts with the sugar cane, which is crushed into a sugar sweat liquid. This liquid in turn is used to produce molasses and the raw sugar. The molasses is used to produce rum and alcohol. The Raw Sugar (brown sugar) can be consumed or further treated to produce refined sugar, which is the white sugar we often use at home.The collage depicts the main cycle in the life of the sugar producing regions of...

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Ocra painting

by darthmilmo

Afterwards, we drove into the Parachilna Gorge, where Khani stopped the truck near a loose wall of rock. We walk closer to the wall in search of Ocra, which is the rock used by Aboriginals to paint their body and to do the rock art. They basically grab the rock, grind it, and then mix it with animal blood. They were not too clever on mixing colors though so they only had the basic colors: red, yellow, brown, white, etc. We followed on their traditions. Instead of blood though, we used water. We painted several designs on our hands and arms just to see how it looked. It was an interesting experience.

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Dreamtime

by darthmilmo

Each Aboriginal community has their distinct Dream Time story, which is the story behind the creation of the world. The Jawoyon Aboriginals in Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) believe the Rainbow Serpent, which is the god of creation, lives in the 2nd Gorge. This is perhaps the most beautiful of the gorges, with its tall rock wall and deep green/blue water. Therefore, no one is allowed to fish here. People (Jawoyon Aboriginals mainly) are allowed to fish elsewhere, but only if they give back a part of the fish to appease the Rainbow Serpent, who is a god of creation and destruction for the aboriginal. Their creation story is based on the "Dreaming." The Rainbow Serpent in turns is one of the gods that took part of the Dreaming and created the world.

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Aboriginal people and their struggles

by darthmilmo

Before you take in the wonders around the many Aboriginal lands or soon after, make sure you visit the many interesting and informational cultural centers. One of my favorite ones is the one in Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park, which offers an interesting insight into the Jawoyon Aboriginals, the local owners. They had a long struggle to reclaim their land. When the English arrived, they assume Australia was no-men’s-land and so took the liberty of displacing all of the Aboriginal communities from their ancestral lands. The Jawoyon, who used to live in and around Nitmiluk Gorge where displaced until 1989, when a favorable court order gave them their land back. They now lease the land to the National Park and by doing so co-manage the park. It's really nice to see such a promising future, not only for this tribe, but also for the traditional owners of Kakadu, Uluru, Kata Tjuta,...

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Boomerang

by darthmilmo

We then had a boomerang lesson. Here is where I actually learned how to throw one correctly. You basically use the rule of three thirties. First, you have to through at a 30'angle against the wind (kick the dust to see where the wind is going). Second, you need to throw up at a 30' angle above the horizon. Third, must not throw it horizontal (will come back and hit you hard on the head) or vertical (will only go forward), instead you throw it at a slight 30' angle like this "/."

Didgeridoo

by darthmilmo

The deep sound of a didgeridoo is unmistakable. Traditionally, the didgeridoo were built by the aboriginals up north, across from Broome, Darwin and all the way to Cairns. Now in days, you can find this musical instrument on every City and tourist spot in Australia. If you are looking for the real thing, then buy it up north. Otherwise, take your chances on a store in Sydney or Melbourne. Good respectable stores will let you try it and may even offer free classes.

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Aboriginal Rock Art - part 2

by darthmilmo

Going deeper into the past, we visited the distinct Yourambulla Rock Art sites, which involved a 2-3 km hike. This rock art was different then what I had seen before. It was made by the Adnyamathanha Aboriginals and was probably made with black charcoal as the art is black. As the other rock art I saw before, it was used to represent important Aboriginal customs, such as hunting patterns, ceremonies, and other things.

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Aboriginal Rock Art - part 1

by darthmilmo

My first in-depth experience on this subject was while I visited the Dreamtime Center in Rockhampton. The tour goes over the Stencil People living up in the Carnarvon Gorge region. I wasn't aware that the Aboriginal people developed some of the best stencil techniques in the planets. Stencil art is created when the artists blows some paint into a surface blocking a cliff, wall, or cave. Common aboriginal designs include those created with hands, boomerangs, and fingers. Some complex designs took days or weeks to create. This were created over time so at times we may be seeing at a design that is thousands of years old right next to one created a few decades ago. The Aboriginal art still thrives in several areas of Australia. Many more techniques are applied to rock painting/art. This picture is one from Kakadu National Park and the techniques they used varied from those used in the...

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The Traditional Aboriginal Way of Life – part 2

by darthmilmo

Interestingly enough, hundreds of Aboriginal communities or tribes evolved with their own language, art, culture, and traditions. These were influenced by were they lived. In the north by Kakadu, where food is plentiful, they were able to develop a really fine and detailed rock art to express themselves both artistically and for survival purposes. In Uluru, where the land is drier and the living is harder they developed a simpler rock art to describe where water and food is available. The Aboriginals never developed a written alphabet. Their oral languages are so diverse that neighbors often couldn't understand each other. They describe it as having a Dutch trying to communicate with an Italian. A bit harder than it sounds I’m sure. In any case, when the British arrived, they displaced many of these Aboriginals. It is estimated that over a million of them lived in Australia. Today, only...

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The Traditional Aboriginal Way of Life – part 1

by darthmilmo

A good insight into the aboriginal culture can be had in the Uluru and Kata Tjuta National Park. The local aboriginal, the Anangu people, consist of two tribes: the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara . They inhabited this region of the red center. As many other aboriginals, the man were allowed to have 5 wives. This old custom was created to promote biodiversity and avoid inbreeds. They man basically would go on an 18 months or more hunting expedition traveling from a central home location, typically a waterhole. They would leave their wife there and go to say the North East to another waterhole, where they will get another wife. Traveling clockwise or anti-clockwise, they'll visit 3 more waterholes, where they had different wives, before returning to their original homes. As men were not home frequently, women had to rely on each other to raise the family, procure food, and for defense....

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Local Customs: Cities in Australia
  1. Sydney Local Customs
  2. Melbourne Local Customs
  3. Perth Local Customs
  4. Brisbane Local Customs
  5. Gold Coast Local Customs
  6. Adelaide Local Customs
  7. Canberra Local Customs
  8. Cairns Local Customs
  9. Darwin Local Customs
  10. Geelong Local Customs
  11. Surfers Paradise Local Customs
  12. Hobart Local Customs
  13. Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) Local Customs
  14. Port Douglas Local Customs
  15. Alice Springs Local Customs
  16. Airlie Beach Local Customs
  17. Noosa Heads Local Customs
  18. Fremantle Local Customs
  19. Rottnest Island Local Customs
  20. Hamilton Island Local Customs
  21. Wollongong Local Customs
  22. Bunbury Local Customs
  23. Newcastle Local Customs
  24. Ballarat Local Customs
  25. Byron Bay Local Customs
  26. Margaret River Local Customs
  27. Wagga Wagga Local Customs
  28. Coffs Harbour Local Customs
  29. Kakadu National Park Local Customs
  30. Kangaroo Island Local Customs
  31. Fraser Island Local Customs
  32. Manly Local Customs
  33. Townsville Local Customs
  34. Mackay Local Customs
  35. Daylesford Local Customs
  36. Blue Mountains National Park Local Customs
  37. Mandurah Local Customs
  38. Hervey Bay Local Customs
  39. Bondi Beach Local Customs
  40. Launceston Local Customs
  41. Kalgoorlie Local Customs
  42. Whitsunday Islands Local Customs
  43. Toowoomba Local Customs
  44. Port Macquarie Local Customs
  45. Mooloolaba Local Customs
  46. Batemans Bay Local Customs
  47. Katoomba Local Customs

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