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People have wildly different opinions about the land Down Under. For some, Australia is paradise on Earth, with friendly people, good food, amazing weather, and tons of travel opportunities. For others, it is the land of ‘nope!’—a spider, snake, and shark-infested country that makes them question why anyone would choose to live there.
But it's only through travel and personal experience that we can learn the truth about a new place. The non-Aussie members of the r/AskReddit community spilled the beans about what they found the strangest about Australia. Read on for their thoughts and culture shock experiences.
Bored Panda reached out to Bree Clarke from South Australia, aka redditor u/Desperate-Narwhal817, the author of the intriguing viral thread. She was kind enough to shed some light on the biggest culture shock moments that tourists face when visiting Australia, as well as how to find the confidence to travel far and wide. Read on for our full interview with Bree!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Canadian here. Vacationed at 3 locations in Australia with my wife, a total of 10 days (not near long enough). Brisbane, Cairns, and Alice Springs. Brisbane could have been the sister city to Vancouver, BC imo. The thing that shocked me the most was when in Cairns, we were awake at 2am due to the time change, and we went outside looked up in the sky and there was probably a thousand massive bats just flying overhead (flying foxes I believe). It was very very cool to see that!.
WindySwede 1 year ago
I'm only used to bats here, so my fantasy goes to something similar to this...! ddf09b3753...e8b022.jpg 
The Original Bruno 1 year ago
In case anyone does NOT know, fruit bats are called flying foxes. They are much larger than the insectivorous bats common in Europe and North America and their faces do look much more fox-like.
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Uncanny 1 year ago
There’s a bat colony in the Adelaide parklands, about 15km from where I live. I often see them following the river out to the hills just after sunset. It’s lovely to watch them glide silently by. I’ve often thought it’d be fun to go to the parklands, wait til sunset and stand under the trees and yell ‘Fly, my pretties!’ Followed by unhinged laughter. One day. It’s on my bucket list. 😆
K- THULU 1 year ago
Yeah, I get them in my fig tree most nights in the inner western suburbs of Adelaide.... they're beautiful, and huge like flying kittens...
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Fluffy mommy panda 1 year ago
Look for the batman light. He is in Australia!!!!!
Load More Replies... Timbob 1 year ago
Really, the most fascinating thing about Australia is why people stay there ! There are more creatures that can kill you there, than anywhere else in the world. And you no longer have to stay there !!! It’s NO LONGER a penal colony for the U.K. ! You all can leave, any time !
laura lee 1 year ago (edited)
Not to mention the sun and the sea, it's not Nope Island for nothing lol
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Jan Srbený 1 year ago
I have been living for three years in Cairns and it is my favorite city in the world. Miss Australia very much
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
Flying foxes are ok, until they set up a huge rookery right next to you. Then they're noisy as hell and s**t everywhere as they go past. And it's horrible stuff that sticks like glue.
David Paterson 1 year ago (edited)
That "thousand massive bats just flying overhead" is not an understatement. I counted 800 flying overhead in Cairns before giving up the count. Flying foxes can be seen in cities and town all down the east coast of Australia, with major colonies in the city centres of Cairns, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Probably Darwin as well.
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According to Bree, she started the thread on Reddit because she was curious about how other people see Australia. She wanted to compare their experiences with those of her own.
"Life and Aussie culture seems so normal to me, and I wanted to get real insight from everyday people, from all over the world. And I certainly achieved that! I didn't expect the post to blow up like it did, that's for sure. I was quite chuffed, to be honest... and full of pride, amusement, and warmth for my little (big) land down under," she told Bored Panda how happy she was that the discussion got a lot of attention.
Bored Panda was curious to get Bree's take on the biggest culture shock moments that foreigners might experience when they first visit Australia. In her opinion, one of those moments is "realizing there are cities here, and busy ones at that."
RELATED:
#2
“Nah yeah” = Yes please.
“Yeah Nah” = No thank you.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
I don't use "Nah yeah" but I do occasionally use "Yeah nah". Mostly to emphasise that I'm not interested. Which might sound weird, but that's how it is.
Mavis 1 year ago
"Yeah nah" is not strictly no thank you. I use it as more like a gap filler in sentences. "My sister broke her leg...but yeah nah...she'll be alright".
Jill Rhodry 1 year ago
I also use it when disagreeing with someone Yeah (I understand what you're saying), nah (I don't agree).
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George LaMonica 1 year ago
Lol, while I've never heard "Nah yeah", I can state with authority that "Yeah nah" had been part of the standard American slang vernacular that I've been hearing in the NYC area since the 90s.
Definitely a Human 1 year ago
Eh... Not strictly how it works. It's closer to "um". It's just filler.
The_one_on_the_left 1 year ago
And "Yeah nah Yah nah Yeah..." is also Australian, but highly contextual.
#3
Kangaroos. Angry two legged deer.
Full of Giggles 1 year ago
One of my rescue roos has busted out the glass in my sliding door while attempting to fight his reflection. Three times.
robin aldrich 1 year ago
So does your homeowner's insurance cover kangaroo damage?
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Downunderdude 1 year ago
Roos are cute and we love 'em (Well, farmers don't). But they are STUPID. Driving home one night, there was a big bastard in the middle of the road. Saw me coming. 'Ohshitohshitohshit. What do I do? I know! Run.' And he did. For two f*****g kilometres. STRAIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE F*****G ROAD.
Jeevesssssss 1 year ago
Brit here. We get that, but with bloody pheasants. I imagine they're a bit slower 😂
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Paul Gerrard 1 year ago
They can gut you...That pic os a little one. The red roo sits 6 ft and has the temper of trump
The.Butterfly.Effect.530 1 year ago
And no one wants to touch him either. Lol
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Ken Beattie 1 year ago
They're often pretty placid. They're much more placid than deer and far less flighty. The main thing to remember is they're still wild animals so don't actually try to touch them. If you try, they'll probably just hop away, but they might also kick the c**p out of you first.
Mason Kronol 1 year ago
I went to the Cincinnati zoo last summer and they have a Kangaroo run where you can walk with them just hanging around. One very large male took a liking to me and would play peek-a-boo behind the trees. the docent said he did that sometimes with pretty women. i was wearing a sun dress. I was also terrified I might be assaulted by a roo! Those dudes are muscular.
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Tucker Cahooter 1 year ago
I remember working down in an office building in Tuggeranong; still urban Canberra but abuts native bushland. Getting out of my car and being face to face with a big male nonchalantly lying on the grassy area between the parking bays
Rahb in Oz 1 year ago
FAR preferable to meeting a snake outside DSS between you and the door!
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DarkViolet 1 year ago
I have a healthy respect for anything that can end me in less time than it took to conceive me.
"Chatting to tourists, I get the impression they were almost expecting to land on a dirt patch in the middle of nowhere and have a kangaroo courier them to an outback cattle station fighting off snakes and sharks and spiders with a boomerang," she quipped. "That view, or expectation, does warm our hearts, though."
Bree said that Australians love a lot of things: their country, taking the mickey out of others, the tourists, as well as the view the rest of the world has about them. "The snakes and sharks and spiders and isolated cattle stations are definitely here, we've all encountered them, but I do not know a single person who's had a bad experience with any of them. They tend to leave you alone if you do come across one."
She shared some more things that Aussies have in common: "We all have a mate called Gazza, (hi, Dad!) and we all know someone called Kylie (hi, bestie!) We all have broken a Hills Hoist [clothesline] as kids, and we all like our Vegemite. Everyone's our mate, even if it doesn't sound like it from the 'not safe for work' language we use."
#4
The banter. Aussies are surprisingly quick and have a great sense of humor. Also they tend to have a darker, irreverent taste in jokes. Makes for good entertainment.
Uncanny 1 year ago
Just considering taking offense at ‘surprisingly quick’ but decided to let it slide cos it’s a sunny Sunday afternoon, the dog is lying on my feet and wine has been had. Had I read this on Monday morning at work when only weetbix had been had, it would have been a different story, tho! 😉
Downunderdude 1 year ago
Too right! My reaction precisely. 'Surprisingly' mumble, mutter
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Zander Porbanda 1 year ago
Whenever you are surprised by someone it’s a chance to explore your implicit bias.
Lady Miss Pie 1 year ago (edited)
When I lived in England, there were two Aussies who frequented the local pub and they were so friendly and so funny and generous, the life of the party every time. People gravitated towards them. I met several Australians in England and they were all so friendly. It put me at ease, being an American. (Though I found the British to be much friendlier than I expected.)
CharliAnn Olney 1 year ago
Had a delightful all too brief stint with some Aussie "Ambos" (Paramedics). The dark humor we had in common was fun!
Wm Paul Robinson 1 year ago
Like the Irish, and discovered over 13 years some regions of France.
#5
The nutbush 100%.
exobiologickitten replied:
My Scottish family came down for my sisters wedding on the weekend and two things happened: The band played 500 miles by the Proclaimers, which sent the Scots into a highland dancing frenzy They then played Nutbush, which sent the aussies absolutely feral And on both sides, the other family would look at the ones on the dance floor like “what the actual F is going on??” It was hilarious
No Clue 1 year ago
So for those who don't know (like me), it's a line dance to Tina Turner's "Nutbush City Limits": https://youtu.be/xTiLknvewlM?si=VrTsxoGOl62r02SK 🤷♀️
Gustav Gallifrey 1 year ago
My advice to young men is: learn to do the Nutbush dance. 99.999% of Australian men don't, and so it's all women and girls on the dance floor when it happens. Joining them in the dance, and doing it well, is SUCH a good 'introduction' to them.
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Full of Giggles 1 year ago
My first trip to Australia was for my gran-in-laws 75 birthday. I have never seen someone exit a wheelchair as quickly as Gran when the first guitar riff hit the speaker.
tee-lena 1 year ago
When you're an ambulatory wheelchair user a good song like that will get you dancing a bit. 😄ask me how I know?
Load More Replies... Downunderdude 1 year ago
Can confirm. It's a Pavlovian response. Tina Turner is an honorary Australian.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
Partly because of Mad Max, and partly because she's behind our best footy anthems :P
Load More Replies... Libstak 1 year ago
Nutbush has been going strong since I was in high school in the 70s, didn't know until the mid 2000s it was just an Aussie thing, I always thought the whole world did it cos every night club and every party, wedding, you name it was The Bustop, followed by Nutbush and in the last decade or more finished with the Macarena
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
It's definitely not a thing for all Aussies. Does nothing for me :P
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AlpacaLunch 1 year ago
If there is not "Nutbush" played at a wedding reception, was there even a wedding?
AlpacaLunch 1 year ago
Mate, it's not a proper wedding without the "Nutbush" even great nanna will get up and dance!
Katie Lutesinger 1 year ago
They forced us to line-dance to this song in school. I'm still convinced that counted as child abuse. I refused point-blank to participate and sat in the corner scowling.
Rita Gunn 1 year ago
Go back to the progressive Barn Dance. At a very exclusive private girls’ high school ( I was a waitress) no one got up til the DJ played this …. cracked the ice and made them mingle
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#6
That the Australians went to war with emus in the 30s and they lost.
KatieMal 1 year ago
We actually declared war against and lost to emus twice!!! Once wasn't enough apparently
laura lee 1 year ago (edited)
Should've enlisted some Roos, was Ripped Roger, rest his soul, not available?
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Fluffy mommy panda 1 year ago
All birds that are taller then a human and have a sword as a beak. Are scary but amazing looking. And they are not something you want to mess with.
Load More Replies... David Paterson 1 year ago
It's not too unusual for a country to go to war against an animal - and lose. China's war on the sparrow for instance.
AlienatedCheeseStick 1 year ago
I think this is always my favorite part about threads about Australia
All profits to charity 1 year ago
To be fair, we had an emu escape in North Carolina, USA. He was gone for WEEKS. No one could catch him and the public was asked not to approach as he was dangerous. That’s one bird.
Fluffy mommy panda 1 year ago
Yeah I believe this they ant dum. We don't give animals enough credit. They survive in the wild.
Load More Replies... Bree explained to Bored Panda that Aussies are "super protective" of tourists, even if they might enjoy gently poking fun at them from time to time. "Whilst we may be scaring you with stories of drop bears, in the very same breath we have our eyes peeled and we won't let you lift up a piece of tin in the Outback, or walk around barefoot in a paddock, or wander through the mangroves."
The author of the viral thread pointed out that getting along with the locals is "practically a given," which should put a lot of us travelers at ease. "The second we hear an accent, we don our Aussie hats and take you directly under our wings. As long as you can take a joke, and are aware that we love our culture, and are full of pride for it, you're good as gold to us," she shared some advice with all tourists.
Bree also had some encouragement to share with anyone hoping to travel to and around Australia. "Traveling anywhere new is equally exciting and terrifying, and my advice for anyone wanting to visit Australia is simple: just do it! I feel so incredibly fortunate to live in such a diverse, accepting, laid-back corner of the world where it is safe and welcoming," she opened up to us.
#7
American here and was there a year ago. I know this is just my perspective but when I got off the plane and the whole time I was there, I did not feel tension in the air like I do here. Like I said, that was just my perspective. It was a great trip visiting my daughter. I can't wait to go back to visit.
BC 1 year ago
Two reasons; gun control and air conditioning. The majority of us are pretty relaxed because we know how good we have it. My family are farmers and although it was a pain in the bum, we all gave up our illegal guns in the amnesty. And no, we’re not all running around terrified of our ‘police state’, we can still get a license if necessary (farming etc.) it’s just regulated.
Jeremiah Anderson 1 year ago
We were there just before the Referendum vote (either Yes! Or No!) for Indigenous Voice representation. Both sides calling the other side racist and saying that either way it was wrong. If you vote yes, you’re voting against unity by saying that the indigenous people groups are indeed “other”. If you vote no, you don’t care to give the indigenous people a voice and a clarified, unified vote. Even with all of that going on and the march for or against the vote, I’d take that over the Trump-Biden c**p. The US is just inherently more divided, unfortunately.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
Assuming tension means safety, there are still dangerous suburbs, just like any country. But on average we're safer than the US. The chance of bumping into someone with a firearm is incredibly low even though we have higher gun ownership numbers than many people realise. Mostly because we have strict rules about keeping them locked up unless you're actively using them.
Kristal 1 year ago
I moved to Canada from the US and, indeed, there is less tension. I can't compare to Australia but just being out of the US let's one breathe a bit easier.
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David 1 year ago
It might be where this person lives. I'm an American and I feel zero tension at home or when I go shopping / run errands.
Lesbitarian Lady 1 year ago
Don't forget the tension we in the Divided States of America. I also agree with the gun posts. I own a gun, I was background checked, PA, before I was allowed to purchase it. I carry it for protection which is unfortunately needed for my gay, liberal and outspoken self.
#8
As a Texan there are no people I like more than Australians. Even when they're rude I just laugh at how creative the insults are.
Full of Giggles 1 year ago
I’m an American married to an Aussie. Can confirm their insults are creative. My husband once told me I was bitchier than a vegan crocodile.
Nea 1 year ago
This is actually good! I wouldnt be able to even get angry.
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Katie Lutesinger 1 year ago
I once called someone an untalented narcissistic scumbag with the moral fibre of a banana slug. Well okay I just thought really hard about how much I'd like to call him that.
Igor914624 1 year ago
I had a co-worker from Birmingham, UK. He described Australian as the "Texas of Britian." I take that as a compliment to both Texas and Australia.
Tangerine Kaleidoscope 1 year ago
That's %1000 how you handle an Aussie. You'll fit in just fine.
Sofia Pels-Hensley 1 year ago
I am Australian mates and cool facts I already know all of them but that good that everyone else should know that we Aussies are awsome
#9
Australian here that has been living in Canada for the past three months.
It's funny looking back at how things are done differently in Austalia that you grow up thinking is normal and don't appricate. Simple things like tipping culture and taxes are already displayed on price tags, I'm finding canada to be such an expensive country to live in. 500ml of honey (equivalent of home brand) $10! How?
I've had a few Canadians ask how we live with so many deadly creatures, snakes, spiders etc. Like WTF, you literally have BEARS roaming the street that can physically overpower you and f**k you up! A moose can be the size of an SUV, run ridiculously fast even in deep snow, it can also f*cking swim and will charge you if intimidated and don't get me started on cougars (and not the fun type)
Planning on being in Canada for another year and a half but already missing the Austalian culture to a certain extent. Canada is so beautiful though.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
This is something that always got me when people talk about the deadly wildlife in Australia. We literally don't have anything that will actively go out of it's way to hunt you, other than salt water crocs and they're in a limited range that's not near the majority of the population. Even the US has bears, wolves, cougars plus gators and crocs. Plus they have a whole swag of venomous critters. Yet Australia is the place with scary animals? 0_o
E.V. 1 year ago
You forgot to mention that in the US, we also have angry young men who will actively go look for people to shoot. I'd pick deadly animals over angry armed men.
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Heather Lambie 1 year ago
Canadian here... you are not wrong about this place being ridiculously expensive!! It's INSANE!! I'd like to move to Australia just for the cheaper cost of living, plus i I LOVE weird creatures!! ( Australian men aren't bad either!).
Ka Se 1 year ago
Central Europe - animals that may end your life: Cows (don't play around with these, in the mountains they are often free roaming and more than one hiker was killed by them.), boars (usually very shy but can and eviscerate you if they think they need to.), tiks (Encephalitis and maybe Borreliosis). Probably not: wolves and bears - they are really rare and usually only a problem for live stock, spiders ... well there is the yellow sac spider - if you are a very small person(toddler) it may end things. .... Sorry I can not think of other maybe aggressive life threatening animals here.
Arthur Waite 1 year ago
Looking at the picture above . . . I realize that Aus. is upside-down, we know that, but is it also backwards?
Rita Gunn 1 year ago
Funny That is what we say about about your country too from our viewpoint
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Janet Graham 1 year ago
Hahahah! The big difference is that the Canadian Predators are big and visible. They don't hide and bite you between the toes at night.
I_am_Allan 1 year ago
Canadian here. born, and lived here 43 years. Not once have I seen a bear face to face. Nor a moose. I've spent many weeks in and around Algonquin Park, too. NOW, living in Toronto, I have seen wild turkeys on the streets, in the middle of a snow storm, on April 18th. I've seen dozens of coyotes or small foxes. Rabid dog too. Crazy a*s Geese. Never a bear or moose.
Rahb in Oz 1 year ago
EVERY place on earth has its plusses and minuses! (Canada is pretty good, though.)
Paz Arboleda 1 year ago
I wanna go just to see the cars-Your Ford Falcons and Holden Caprices-we'd never get them in the US (except the Holden as a Chevy and only for police) GM and Ford would never have them in US as it would show up how mediocre their US product is-really main stream Fords and GM cars with independent rear suspensions, tow a load, and 4 doors.
"I think my view of Australia could only get better if I experienced less fortunate places and was able to appreciate more what my sunburnt country has to offer. And, as an Adelaide resident, just don't drink the VB beer. That's for the Victorians and us South Aussies have a tongue-in-cheek love-hate bond with our neighboring State," the redditor suggested.
On a more serious note, she warned that any travel in the Australian Outback should be taken very seriously. Travelers have to be extremely well-prepared. They should never take these trips lightly. On a lighter note, Bree said that Australia is a huge country, and she urged everyone to visit the smaller towns "on the outskirts of the cities for a true Aussie vibe and experience."
Most of the country's towns are near the sea, and the redditor added that the beaches are "insanely accessible and beautiful."
#10
The fact that almost the entire population lives near the coast. The center is enormous and deadly. Idk why but it blows my mind seeing those pics of signs saying stuff along the lines of: next gas station is far af, if you’re not prepared you’re gonna die.
Stary_cat 1 year ago
The centre is so deadly as it get over 50 degrees out there there’s barley ever rain it comes once in a blue moon and there not enough resources to sustain life out there.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
The really fun part about the centre of the country is that it's arid or semi arid but when it rains it often floods really badly. Plus you get floods from rain that's a hundred miles away. The number of camping trips we had out west (I'm east coast) that were spoiled by rain is stupidly high. I can remember at least three where we had to evacuate because where we were camping was going to go underwater. Getting woken at 3am by parents and everything thrown randomly into the car because the river rose more than 20 feet in 8 hours is very eye opening. And trying to drive on what is essentially a massive clay pan is lots of fun.
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Riley Quinn 1 year ago
Many years ago, we drove through Death Valley (Mojave Desert/Great Basin area) and the warning signs were plentiful and came early, giving motorists plenty of time to get water and gasoline. But it was the hand painted signs along the way that really drove the point home that if we f*cked up, we would be vulture food.
robin aldrich 1 year ago
We need to put brutally frank signs up in our areas that are subject to flooding. They say things like "don't attempt to cross floodwaters" . And yet every time many people have to be rescued because they tried to cross moving water from flooding. "Turn around, don't drown" isn't strong enough...
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
As someone who has been 4WDing for years and had to learn how to do creek crossings it always baffles me. Especially when people drive into a flooded causeway in a Toyota Camry when there are depth markers showing there is 5 foot of water across it already... 4WDing, we were taught that if you don't know the depth you get out and test it. That includes walking it if possible. And if you can't walk it you absolutely don't drive it. And when walking, even that depends on how fast the current is. If it's whipping past then don't walk it either.
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Janet Graham 1 year ago
We have those barren areas with no stores, fuel, or food. They are called deserts and prairies.
Marlin101 1 year ago
95% of he population lives within 50km of the coast, pretty much because its the only inhabitable area. I live 90km from the coast, and if I drive 25 minutes further west, it just flattens out and there is nothing. The nearest town is 90 minutes away, and the one after that 3 hours further out. The distances between population centres grows exponentially, as the populations in the towns decreases.
#11
Not anymore but when i found out that the tasmanian devil is a real thing and tasmania is a real place.
Katie Lutesinger 1 year ago
I was on here once and mentioned seeing Tassie Devils at the zoo and someone asked in all seriousness how had I managed to see an extinct animal anywhere! That's Tassie TIGERS, my dude. (Sadly. Tasmanians now consider them their mascot/icon and they're even on the label of Cascade beer, but the animals themselves were all senselessly murdered a long time ago. I've seen a preserved skin at the museum but that's it).
Auntriarch 1 year ago
It's a dream of mine that they will be found before I die. Highly unlikely I know, but I can dream can't I
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David Paterson 1 year ago
The Tasmanian Devil is Australia's biggest mammal carnivore. And isn't found on the mainland.
Sergio Bicerra 1 year ago
Today after a story about a guy who was adopted in Calcuta and flew to Tazmania, Australia, that I learned Tazmania was in Australia, I always thought it was in Africa.
Lisa T 1 year ago
Were you thinking of Tanzania? Tasmania is with an “S”, too
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GlamourGhoul 1 year ago
Narwhals are unicorns. I refuse to believe otherwise.
Load More Replies... Riley Quinn 1 year ago
I hope scientists are trying to figure out a way to help Tasmanian devils overcome the facial tumors that plague them.
Kim Kermes 1 year ago
But the cartoon sounds a lot like them. GNU Mel Blanc.
Load More Replies... #12
The size of the place, When I flew there, a movie finished, I checked the flight tracker map thing - saw we were just about approaching Australia. Thought to myself not long til we land, I won’t watch another film. - I could have watched another two films as there was over 5 hours left of the flight.
Little Wonder 1 year ago
Yeah, I travelled with someone from the UK and she didn't realise it's not really a day trip from Cairns to Uluru. Took her a long time to get her head around the size of the place.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
Indeed. We're close to the size of the continental USA. Perth (west coast) to Brisbane (east coast) is a 46 hour drive of over 4300km. LA to New York is 41 hours and over 4400km. https://www.thetruesize.com/#?borders=1~!MTc0MzQ0MDk.MTU1MjI4OA*Mjc0MzQyODg(NzY4Mjcz~!AU*MTQ3Njc5MDE.MjQxMzI2Njg)Mw
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James Marciniak 1 year ago
As a British comedian Lenny Henry once said, " You should just call this place, FAR!"
Jane W. 1 year ago
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aboutaustralia.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F09%2FSize-of-Australia-compared-to-USA-on-a-Map.jpg&tbnid=EyNwFZPiSji77M&vet=12ahUKEwiOjuybsfyEAxWUOkQIHacVC2EQMygAegQIARBL..i&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aboutaustralia.com%2Faustralia-size-compared-to-usa%2F&docid=XOTsm_GEg-LDGM&w=600&h=398&q=u.s.%20superimposed%20on%20australia&ved=2ahUKEwiOjuybsfyEAxWUOkQIHacVC2EQMygAegQIARBL
Billy Maguire 1 year ago
I love how Tazzie (learned that name from Channel 9 Daily Show clips) looks as though it was plucked off Darwin and shrank as it fell to the bottom of the map.
Jess 1 year ago
It's a 2 hour flight no idea what airline you fly with mate
Load More Replies...For anyone scared of the Aussie wildlife, Bree, who was "born and bred" in Australia and has lived there for 40 years, has some good news. "I have never once been bitten by a snake or spider, chased by a shark, stung by a jellyfish, or boxed by a kangaroo. I have, however, had a safe, fun, privileged, and fulfilling life, and believe you'll absolutely love it here. You'll automatically be in the 'mate' category and we've got your back."
Another upside of Australian life, according to her, is the lack of notable violence in the country. "We just don't see it here very often and it gives you such a sense of security and protection. It really is unique."
The land Down Under is incredibly biodiverse. According to the Australian Government, the continent and surrounding seas support a whopping 600k to 700k native species. Most of them are not seen anywhere else on our planet!
A jaw-dropping 85% of Australian plant species won’t be found anywhere else on Earth. Moreover, the Australian continent is home to half of the world’s marsupial species.
#13
American here… its shockingly similar, honestly. A few surprises: 1) Toasties! It’s like having excellent grilled cheese sandwiches available everywhere, at all times. 2) how well “tap on, tap off” works. 3) for a people who ridicule basic American coffee…. you sure go hard on the instant coffee. 4) how you can leave your stuff lying around and it doesn’t get stolen. Overall fabulous country. Five stars.
Little Wonder 1 year ago
Okay for Americans, let me tell you. Our instant coffee tastes like Dunkin coffee (if you buy a proper brand). American instant is revolting, I couldn't believe how bad (for Aussies, think International Roast but not as good).
Lady Miss Pie 1 year ago (edited)
Starbucks is terrible—Peet’s is better but most people outside of the US don’t know about Peet’s.
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Rayne OfSalt 1 year ago
Huh? You leave your stuff lying around it's getting nicked, no question.
Rachel 1 year ago
Our histories are similar in a lot of ways, though we went in different directions over time. At least that’s how I see it from the US. Sadly the stuff that we seem to me have more in common are the things nobody wants - such as the way the indigenous people were and continue to be treated once us European types arrived.
Lynn Morello 1 year ago
Yet for the rest of us, Leave your stuff for 5 seconds and it disappears.
Gypsy Lee 1 year ago
This isn’t about Americans vs Australians. This is about those who know what good coffee tastes like, & those who were raised under a rock without a tongue. There is good & bad instant just as there is good & bad ground. - there is a Korean instant that I’ll drink here in the states on occasion, but I would rather suck a battery than drink “standard” American instant.
Tamra 1 year ago (edited)
Yeah, because only immigrants are thieves. 🙄 What bull$hit.
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My Hungarian friend had been living and working in Australia for two months. We were walking home late at night when she suddenly stopped dead 'The moon! It’s…wrong way up'. I couldn’t understand what she was on about and it took like 10 minutes of explaining, because I’ve never noticed the moon on my rare trips to Europe.
Rahb in Oz 1 year ago
No. The sky at night is amazing. 'Sky at Night' is political propaganda, ala Fox 'News'.
Load More Replies... David Paterson 1 year ago
Yep. When young I was wondering why I could never see the "Man in the Moon" illusion in Australia. I had to grow up before realising that that was because the Moon was the wrong way up. By the way, as an Australian, I've never seen the Big Dipper. Orion, the Southern Cross and the False Cross are the three main constellations in Australia. If in Australia, don't miss out on seeing the Magellanic Clouds.
John George 1 year ago
Once met an Australian in AZ who couldn't do weed at night because "the stars are all wrong".
Nonna_SoF 1 year ago
Yup, that's how hemispheres work. The question is how does it look at the equator?
Astro 1 year ago (edited)
Oh hey I found a really cool resource. “…the Moon doesn’t appear flipped by exactly 180 degrees if you compare the view, for example, from North America with that from Australia. The Moon’s apparent orientation depends on your latitude. So, as you move north or south, it will appear to rotate by the angle equivalent to the degrees of latitude you cross… For the same reason, the Moon seems to “lie on its side” when viewed close to the equator, with the Crescent Moon sometimes appearing like a golden boat roaming the night sky.” https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/upside-down.html#:~:text=Exactly%20Upside%2DDown%20Only%20at%20the%20Poles&text=So%2C%20as%20you%20move%20north,degrees%20of%20latitude%20you%20cross.
Load More Replies... Katie Lutesinger 1 year ago
I'll never forget standing in a field in Gilroy California (the entire place REEKS of garlic, no exaggeration) and seeing how the moon was different. In America, the bunny is standing up!
Joanne Earle 1 year ago
That's crazy! I had no idea the moon looked different in the southern hemisphere!
Janet Graham 1 year ago
I bet it blew her away to see the southern Cross and constellations from the southern hemisphere.
#15
European living in Victoria - still can't believe how cold winter gets, and how badly insulated houses are.
Lynn Morello 1 year ago
Aussie homes are built for the Aussie summer not winter.
Load More Replies... Ken Beattie 1 year ago
This one is weird, friends of mine moved to Victoria and they said the opposite. They did say it was freezing, but they said because it's so cold everyone is prepared for it and has well insulated houses and heating.
Molly Whuppie 1 year ago
depends on the house. a lot of people (especially if renting) are still living in older places that are badly insulated and have plate glass windows. newer houses will have the double glazed insulated windows and sometimes have underfloor heating and better insulation, but not always.
Irishwoman abroad 1 year ago
Sounds like Spain (the southern half) - the houses are built for the heat, and pretty shoddily at that, so in winter it's effin freezing and in summer you boil without sunshades, Aircon, etc. But mostly tourists are surprised by the draughty, cold, damp winter.
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Rayne OfSalt 1 year ago
Ah yes, the state that's reasonably close to antarctica gets cold. what a shock. In Qld, we don't have winter.
David Wallin 1 year ago
Sacramento, Caifornia is closer to the North Pole than Melbourne is to the South Pole (38.6N vs. 37.8S).
Load More Replies... The Doom Song 1 year ago
My MIL lives in Victoria. Her house is f*****g freezing. Even in summer I pack a jumper and trackies
James Marciniak 1 year ago
Going to MESS with your head more now. The only reason Adelaide, south Australia doesn't get snow is the Simpson Desert.
Paz Arboleda 1 year ago
Probably like homes in the US post WWII with minimal insulation, utilities were dirt cheap, until the oil shock of the early 70s then rules were passed that made full insulation required and dual pane windows for energy efficiency, I'll bet the similar thing happened in Australia.
Australia boasts around 2k species of spider. Most of them are (relatively) harmless to people. Something that has been a huge help is the widespread existence of antivenom.
The Victoria State Government has some handy advice on avoiding spider bites. For one, you should always aim to wear gloves, long pants, and shoes while gardening. You ought to avoid walking barefoot around your garden. And be sure to shake out your shoes before you put them on. You should also not leave your clothes lying around on the floor.
If you happen to stumble across a potential spider lair, do not go rummaging around it with your hands! Use a stick. Or better yet, leave it alone and contact someone who works in pest removal services.
#16
I'm half-Australian with a lot of Aussie family and have spent most of my life living outside of the country, so I feel I have a semi-outsiders perspective to the country. Some things which immediately spring to mind are:
1. How completely uninhabited so much of the country is.
2. The sheer expanse of the red rocky deserts.
3. How much casual racism still exists towards the aborigines and how much the country is struggling to navigate its past.
4. How endless and gobsmackingly beautiful it's stretches of coastline are.
5. How insanely big saltwater crocodiles can grow to, they are like monsters from another time.
6. How clean and well-designed the cities are, including the water quality at major ports.
7. Australians are very anti-littering and I would say are much more environmentally aware than most people I've come across.
8. The low rates of smoking and gun violence.
9. The environmental hypocrisies in the country, such as its love affair with coal, mining and trawlers.
10. How a country with so many resources, good city planning and so much space still has a rental crisis developing.
11. Australians fascination with snow and how many will decorate shop window displays with fake snow Etc in the run-up to Christmas despite the sweltering temperatures.
12. How insanely deadly or poisonous/venomous some really tiny and innocuous looking Australian animals are.
13. The stereotype that they love their beer and barbecues is very true.
14. Kangaroos really do box each other.
15. How massive and grass-less fields on sheep farms are.
Edit: 1. "Ozzie" (rather than Aussie) was a typing error (I wrote this post while very tired), but thanks, it seems like every other comment here is on correcting me about that.
2. I didn't know that Aborigine was racist whereas Aboriginal is not (my apologies).
3. A lot of people here themselves seem to be confused as to what the native peoples should be called.
Lisa T 1 year ago (edited)
I think Indigenous or First Nations people is how you refer to them
Kenneth Barns 1 year ago
Dear Lisa, "Indigenous" or "First Nations" refers to both Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander Australians. "Aboriginal" is fine as an adjective if you are not intending to refer to Torres Strait Islanders.
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Ken Beattie 1 year ago
Hmm, I'm not sure I'd agree with a few of these. The city planning ones in particular. Most of the cities are quite a mess. Sure they're better than some cities around the world in terms of infrastructure and planning. But most of them grow organically and it's like bandaids on bandaids. Littering is another one, lots of people litter which is annoying as hell. Now New Zealand is amazing for *not* littering.
Uncle Schmickle 1 year ago
Actually, Aborigine is correct as a noun, whereas Aboriginal is a verb, i.e Aboriginal painting. Aborigine is not racist.
Rayne OfSalt 1 year ago
No.1 should be "how uninhabitable most of the country is". No.3 should be just "how much casual racism there is." - everyone cops it.
#17
As an Australian the thing that gets me is that the city of Melbourne was almost called BATMANIA. Now all that's left of that dream is Batman Avenue.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
Just to clear something up here, they didn't want to name the city after Batman the dude in pointy ears and tights. It was in the 1800s and they were considering naming it after "John Batman" who claimed to found the city in 1835.
Paul C. 1 year ago
That's great Ken but let's be honest 99% of us want it to be for the pointy eared guy!
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emowankinemo 1 year ago
WHAT HAVE WE DONE!! Melbourne sucks compared to that. Or Batty Mc Batface.
Tucker Cahooter 1 year ago
Instead of boring names like "13th congressional district" in Australia we have them named after places or people. In Victoria there used to be an electorate called Batman until quite recently
Paz Arboleda 1 year ago
Per the note below this, you do have window screens unlike most of Europe (so does Japan)
Zelda McLink 1 year ago
There was a billboard near Preston Market for about a year that just said, "THANK YOU BATMAN". It was from the elected representative for the seat of Batman. Unsurprisingly, the billboard went a bit viral.
#18
There actually isn't a massive f*****g spider around every corner.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
Actually, there probably is. Just most of them are harmless and a lot of them are quite good at hiding :P
Gustav Gallifrey 1 year ago
The average suburban Australian house, and the land it sits on, has something like 50,000 spiders. But, yes, most are small, harmless, and unobvious.
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Apachebathmat 1 year ago (edited)
My friend that lives in cairns has a huntsman (I think) spider in her garage, we call him Simon the secret service spider, apparently if he stays there it stops other beasties coming in, im a Brit so the most dangerous thing we have is a wasp or annoyed Yorkshire terrier
Downunderdude 1 year ago
The last confirmed death from a spider bite was in 1979 (https://australian.museum/learn/animals/spiders/spider-facts/#:~:text=There%20have%20been%20no%20deaths,in%20Australia%20in%20the%20past.). There are one or two deaths from snake bite a year - and that's usually because people try to kill them.
Mavis 1 year ago
Last week there was a baby huntsman spider on my lounge room wall right above the lounge. Sprayed that bugger and stomped it. One baby spider probably means there's a whole bunch of them somewhere so I'm on the lookout. Not dangerous at all but creepy as hell, when fully grown they have that classic big hairy spider look.
Lainey 1 year ago
NOOOO! Now why would you do that?! Did it look at you in an ugly way? Like you're its future lunch? NO. Imagine if big animals were stomping us just because they can.
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You should clear away the trees, shrubs, and bushes from around your doors and windows. However, it’s not advisable to use insecticides in your garden: the local spider population, spooked, might flee right into your home. (A very frightening proposition, indeed..!)
Meanwhile, add screens to your windows and vents, and make sure that there’s no space underneath your doors for spiders to squeeze through.
#19
Dropbears. Deadly Dropbears.
Jason Boyd 1 year ago
I always make sure to wipe some vegemite behind each ear before heading bush - you are fine as long as you take precautions!
Dianellian 1 year ago
This post is so hilarious! Tourists, just use basic non-common sense and you’ll be fine. They have a very specific target.
Marie Clear 1 year ago
They're why you are required by law to travel with a large pith helmet in any of the many dense forests outside the cities. Watch some old movies about Australia and you'll see them everywhere. But the tourism board frowns on showing them in newer movies because they don't want to scare people away.
Caroline Nagel 1 year ago (edited)
Do I want to know what a dropbear is? Has it more than four legs?
Emily Jones 1 year ago
They're basically large, carnivorous koalas. Terrifying beasts. They live in trees and drop down on hikers, hence the name. 😈
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Michael P (Perthaussieguy) 1 year ago
From the Australia Museum, no less: https://australian.museum/learn/animals/mammals/drop-bear/
HI, I'M A SHOUTY MAN 1 year ago
Uh, no! https://australian.museum/learn/animals/mammals/drop-bear/
Load More Replies... #20
How AMAZING your wine is.
Melodic-Change-6388 replied:
Tassie sparkling and Pinot noir is the best. All Tassie wines are bomb, they just don’t produce enough quantity to be as well known.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
Grange Hermitage if you can afford it. I prefer Shiraz, and there are a wealth of South Australian (Barossa Valley) Shiraz that are very good.
WindySwede 1 year ago
We had one 'Penfolds Grange, 2019'. It is €600.. 🙀 don't know if what you thought of?
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CharliAnn Olney 1 year ago (edited)
Loved Australian Sparkling! First time I had it was in Japan.
Hydro Keychain 1 year ago
Real emetic fans will also go for a “Hobart Muddy”, and a prize winning “Cuiver Reserve Chateau Bottled Nuit San Wogga Wogga”, which has a bouquet like an aborigine’s armpit.
#21
As an Australian myself, the thing I hate most is our anti-intellectualism. We’re automatically suspicious of a bloke that can string two words together without “f***en” in the middle of them.
Kenneth Barns 1 year ago
Meh. 42% of Australians have a completed a tertiary education, which is one of the higher rates in the world. Maybe you hang out in the wrong crowds? (Or in the right crowds when overseas!) On the other hand, you can have a very secure life foregoing tertiary education and going into the trades, so wealth does not necessarily mean "well-educated" (which is a good thing, IMHO).
Margaret H 1 year ago
Done all my tertiary degrees and was brought up in a non-swearing household. Honestly, I had more fun learning to put the f*** into the middle of big words than I did learning all that stuff at Uni.
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Kris Tyler 1 year ago (edited)
I have a video of Mike Bloomberg (I made a meme of it) in some meeting with other capitalists and he actually said "we, the intelligentsia". This is what we're dealing with in the U$. We're going down fast
Paz Arboleda 1 year ago
Sadly it seems to be celebrated no thanks to. one of your own Rupert Murdoch.
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While many of us would love to travel more—to Australia and beyond—some of us keep looking for excuses not to. It’s inconvenient. It’s expensive. It’s scary. It’s uncomfortable… The list is endless. The fact of the matter is that travel can be a wonderful opportunity for adventure and exposing ourselves to new cultures and ways of living. But we have to have a little bit of courage and be open-minded.
The key to gaining confidence in travel is… to travel! You have to start out small. Like, really small. Think about some massive adventure that you’d like to have someday. Now, make that your long-term goal. In the meantime, plan a whole series of smaller trips.
#22
As a truck driver, the road trains fascinate me, I want to visit and drive one.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
They are a real pain when you need to overtake one. Fortunately they're limited to lower population areas so that'll be on the middle of an outback highway.
Gustav Gallifrey 1 year ago
If you're going to drive in such areas, fit a UHF CB to your vehicle. You can usually contact the road train drivers by radio, and, if you ask nicely, most will let you know when it's safe to overtake.
Load More Replies... Downunderdude 1 year ago
Yep. They are amazing. In far outback Northern Territory, there's no speed limit and they crank them up to 160 kmh (100mph). You can see them coming the other way from miles away because of the cloud of dust they raise. You just pull over and wait till they pass. . They don't slow down for roos, camels or buffalo - they just bounce off.
James Marciniak 1 year ago
Dude, hrrgphmm our roads in the outback are so terrible that most of our truckers will tell you dirt can be better. When you know the difference between asphalt and bitumen then you know Australia. Without our truckers Australia would stop. Crazy how they drive so well on single lane highways across this place.
Petra Biedermann 1 year ago
Would love to drive one, longest bus I drove was 23 meters ....experimental bus in Germany
David 1 year ago
The USA tried this for a while but I think it wasn't a good fit. Not sure about whole of US but here in the west coast states for a while (at least a couple of decades ago) I was seeing quite a few triple trailers. Mostly stuff like USPS and UPS. Then they faded away. I'm assuming that the savings in fuel / drivers didn't overcome the PITA factor of using such rigs on our freeways.
#23
My friend has recently moved over from Texas, and has said the thing that's shocked her the most is how much Australian millenials love The Simpsons.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
Doesn't most of the world love the Simpsons? Longest running prime time cartoon ever.
Cerridwn d'Wyse 1 year ago
Raises hand. I think it's actually kind of stupid and always have
Load More Replies... Gustav Gallifrey 1 year ago
There's often more valid social comment in one episode of The Simpsons than in a whole season of a lot of other shows.
Tangerine Kaleidoscope 1 year ago
It's because at the time millennials were kids pay tv (cable) was a luxury most households did not have and the Simpsons was on 5 or 6 nights a week at 6pm which also roughly dinner time if you were a kid. There were also only 3 commercial networks at the time and the programing on the 3 commercial networks was news, news or the Simpsons. I think our generation's parents factored that in when getting us kids to stop playing around and to sit down eat dinner. For most millennials the Simpsons was one of those shows that was always on like Home and Away, Neighbours, m*a*s*h or Sale of the Century.
laura lee 1 year ago
Omg that's roughly the same in Texas lol like 5:30pm every weeknight and like 7pm on Sundays, from the 90s to this day even lol
Load More Replies... Lynn Morello 1 year ago
When the Simpsons aired on Australian TV, my kids watched half of the first episode and were not allowed to watch any more, Something very disrespectful that Bart Simpson said to his mom, and I wasn't going to allow that in my house. So I never permitted The Simpsons on out TV.
#24
How immense and diverse it is in all sorts of ways when it comes to landscape and wildlife. The birdlife is unbelievable.......... I lived there for a decade in Victoria and WA (Perth, The Kimberly, Goldfields and Warburton.) A few months ago I started adding up the journeys I had driven whilst there and it was over well 100,000 km's. I visited every State and Territory bar Tassie. I drove to work from Perth once and it took three days to travel 3000kms. Also drove Perth to Bathurst via Ayers Rock. Had a pet Kangaroo, shot, ate and ran into a few also. Hunted goanna and roos with some aboriginal fellas. Ĥeld a gold bar which was the weeks production for the mine I worked at, at the time. Had a ball. Was actually back there in Melbourne for Christmas just gone.
Strala 's f*****g awesome!.
Lauren S 1 year ago (edited)
People hunt the kangaroos??? And eat them??? I guess that’s similar to hunting deer where I grew up but I’ve just never heard anyone mention it before. Does kangaroo have a food name like venison for deer? Why does it seem sadder to me to kill a kangaroo? Edit: Wow, thank you for all the info! TIL. ☺️
Downunderdude 1 year ago
You can buy kangaroo meat at supermarkets.It's a regulated industry. It's a good, lean meat. Yes, people hunt Roos, but every country has small-penised cretins who love to kill things for no good reason.
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Julie S 1 year ago
Is that what those birds are? The middle one is very pretty.
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Amo Mazzuchelli 1 year ago
No special name but we love kanga bangas in our house - kangaroo sausages. I would love to cook a steak and try it but you have to cook it perfect, can't be under done or over done. Also most of the roo is used someway or another, the hide usually sold in souvenir shops and the nut sack made into coin purses .... true
Terri Rickert 1 year ago
NO Kangaroos are EVER killed humanely in Australia. Wildlife Rescue & Care (Australia)
Terri Rickert 1 year ago
Kangaroos are NEVER EVER killed humanly !!!!!!!!! wildlife Rescue and Care
MidnightProphecy 1 year ago
I hate people who kills animals. Like there's not enough meat for sale Already. B****** not to mention I hate anyone who can be ok with killing an animal for any reason.
Consider what you’d like to do and see in your hometown. Then go and do that. Then, think about what you’d love to do in a nearby town, a city even further away, and then work your way to travel abroad. Pace yourself. Take tiny steps. And soon enough, you’ll be traveling and adventuring with the best of the best.
You should also figure out what type of travel and tourism you’re most comfortable with. Are you better off being a solo traveler, or do you thrive when you’re on an adventure with a gaggle of friends? Do you prefer having quality accommodation, or are you fine with crashing on someone’s couch? Do you want to travel by plane, train, and car, or are you a fan of hitchhiking? Do you enjoy long hikes (hi!) or lazing about in the pool (hi again!)?
#25
As an exchange student from Hong Kong, the first cultural shock I experienced was how y’all don’t really wear shoes, I never expect to see so many toes on the streets lmao.
Pink Princess 1 year ago
I live in Sydney and I never see people barefoot except for the beach
Greg 1 year ago
I think they are referring to thongs, the ones you wear on your feet!
Load More Replies... KinoEel 1 year ago
Depends highly on where you live, if you are by the beach yes but if inland not at all
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
Even inland we didn't wear shoes a lot as kids. Had soles like shoe leather as a 10 year old. I think it's also changed a lot over time. As a kid most of us didn't wear shoes and even a lot of parents would be shoeless or in thongs (flip flops, not g-bangers). Nowadays it's far more common for kids to wear shoes. Side effect of the increase in helicopter parenting I assume.
Load More Replies... Molly Whuppie 1 year ago
yeah its becoming less common these days. when I was a kid in the 70s/80s there'd be tons of adults walking around with no shoes on. Especially if you were just ducking up to the shops to pick something up. But these days its rarer to see people without shoes on. People still do it, its just not as visible.
Vicki Perizzolo 1 year ago
when I lived near Perth another lifetime ago (50yrs or so) I was always barefoot except at school
Paz Arboleda 1 year ago
But they just stated before this to not go barefoot in your garden.....?????
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
Lived in rural areas most of my life, now in a city. One of the things I miss is going barefoot. It's just not recommended in a city setting.
#26
How there's actually snow there.
Full of Giggles 1 year ago
To be fair, my Australian in-laws were equally surprised in snowed in Arizona, US.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
I've heard that one too. The Australian Alps apparently. That said, huge amounts of the country never seen snow, ever.
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Molly Whuppie 1 year ago
we have some huge ski fields too, for example Perisher ski resort has over 1,250 hectares of skiable area, and over 100 ski slopes.
David Paterson 1 year ago
With artificially made snow. All Australian ski resorts do this.
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Sam Cook 1 year ago
One game I discovered nearly fifteen years ago is Ty the Tasmanian Tiger, which helped me to even better understand the diversity of Australia even better (I had read books before, so it wasn't like I didn't know things like the snow) despite it being a video game. What helped was the developer, Krome Studios, was an Australian company. They went on to do a couple Spyro games (in The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning and The Eternal Night with Elijah Wood and Gary Oldman) and their last game was based on an animated film set in Australia, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (directed by Zack Snyder and, in my opinion, one of the most underrated animated films).
#27
Tall poppy syndrome: you’ve got to watch yourself…it’s an egalitarian society so if you come from a society that celebrates and flaunts success, you’ll tend to be disliked.
ynyrhydref56 1 year ago
And beware you don't get too big for your boots. Public opinion can turn very quickly.
There’s no shame in knowing what you’re most comfortable and happiest with, even if others prefer an entirely different style of traveling. It's up to us to decide how quickly to step out of our comfort zones.
In the meantime, be sure to do at least some basic research about any city, region, or country you want to visit. Knowing how to get along with the locals can be a wonderful way to make the most of your experience! But what matters the most is having an open heart and mind.
What did you find the most shocking the first time you visited Australia, dear Pandas? What advice would you give non-Aussies to help them get along with the locals? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
#28
Something is wrong with the way you market Tim Tams. Arnotts should be bigger than Amazon.
Katie Lutesinger 1 year ago
When I was a kid I was in a youth orchestra, and one year our Oakland based equivalent came visiting to do a concert together. Every kid in our orchestra was instructed to bring a packet of Tim Tams so our poor deprived American friends could finally experience the magic. They loved 'em!
James Marciniak 1 year ago
Right, first things first Arrnots were all Aussie mate. Then it got sold off to the Yanks. Our tried and true recipes forever changed. I miss the ginger nuts., the biggest wagon wheels, the scotch finger. I all gave up my biscuit privilege because of it. Why is Tim Tam not bigger than the Beatles, simple we love it as ours. You want em' come on over an I'll show you a Tim Tam straw.
Marie Clear 1 year ago
My main Aussie candy weakness is Violet Crumble. Only 1 per year, though, because the sugar coma is inconvenient.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
I love the mango ones, but I assume they're only limited runs. Not a regular thing :(
Load More Replies... Alan Jay Weiner 1 year ago
I just checked - they're available on Amazon (because, of course...) I just ordered a 4-pack; chocolate, double coat, dark, and white. They'll be here in 2 days.
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
Tim Tams. There's always a package in my cupboard. Love these delicious treats.
#29
It surprised me when I found out that their term for the right leaning party is "liberal" and once I figured it out, I suddenly understood a lot of the things I saw online that were confusing me.
Kenneth Barns 1 year ago
"Liberal" in the sense of the British Liberal Party from the late 1800s and early 1900s. That is, "free/liberated" from excessive government intervention. In the US, the "Libertarian" party is named that for the same reason.
laura lee 1 year ago (edited)
But they sadly don't adhere to it, it was just the precursor to maga. Which has No platform at all
Load More Replies... Ken Beattie 1 year ago
Yeah Liberal is the conservative party, Labour is the (slightly) left. Greens are much more left. We also have a ton of other parties. Most of whom don't get any seats or maybe scrape in one or two between them. One of the bigger parties that seems to be struggling is the National Party. I remember them being more of a thing when I was a kid, but now they're more of a sidekick to the Liberals. Honestly, Liberal and Labour feel like the same party to me. Their policies flip flop based on who is in power and proposing stuff. Something that's a great idea because they proposed it last election is suddenly the worst thing ever this election because the other party is supporting it. *UGH*
Rachel 1 year ago
Politics can be painful no matter where you are and how the system works.
Load More Replies... Riley Quinn 1 year ago
I have more than enough confusion regarding US political parties and ideologies. I don't have the strength or the courage to learn other systems of political bs.
Rahb in Oz 1 year ago
It was a very acceptable conservative liberal party, until the ascension of little Johnny Howard in 1996, who took it back to the 1800s type philosophy. Since then the label 'Liberal' has been largely trashed and is now totally fraudulent.
Lynn Morello 1 year ago
Australia is Two Party Preferred. Liberal and Labour, any other party need not apply as they don't get anywhere politically.
DeoManus Argentem 1 year ago
Yeah, Australia actually gets it right. In the US the far right is called "Libertarian" but the center-right (Republican) is called "conservative", while the center-left (Democrat) is called "liberal" and far-left "progessive". Daffy.
#30
How bad your internet is.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
Hmm, that's just not true now. Hasn't been for quite awhile. There are still places with c**p internet but they're (mostly) a hundred miles from anywhere. For the majority of us we're on fibre to the home. I'm on 100mbit, but I could easily sign up for gigabit internet. I just don't need it.
Molly Whuppie 1 year ago
the majority is not on fibre to the home lol maybe if you are in the city, but not outside of that.
Load More Replies... James Marciniak 1 year ago
There is a SIMPLE reason why our internet is SOOOoooo BAD. Monopoly- only one company has the rights to show us porn, bluey and the cricket. NBN con.. which is run by the government 🤔
Rayne OfSalt 1 year ago
Not quite. Murdoch is the reason the nbn is garbage. We were set to have gigabit fibre directly to home set up to every home in the nation, then Abbott and the Liberals won the following election. During that time, Murdoch had a big meeting with Abbott and convinced him to significantly worsen the nbn, as it was a major threat to his foxtel cable tv business.
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Stuart Beatty 1 year ago
Mine is flawle......ss. Ha ha! Actually is flawless, and quite cheap. Mobile phone included.
#31
How Australians can just co-exist with one another without it breaking out into people throwing brown snakes at each other.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
You really expect us to pick up something that will bite and kill us just to throw it at someone else? 0_o
Riff Renton 1 year ago
Would you cause grief with someone who is equally as capable of throwing brown snakes?
The Doom Song 1 year ago
I'm not getting anywhere near a brown snake. Do you know how venomous these f*****s are
Terri Rickert 1 year ago (edited)
Brown snakes are VERY aggressive !!!!!!! Wildlife Rescue and Care
James Marciniak 1 year ago
You musta been here on a good barbie tour. Missed everything u did, mate. Blimey
#32
The amount of famous Australian actors that have an acting credit in Neighbours and/or Home and Away.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
Neighbours is a starting point for young actors. It's been running for decades (41 seasons, nearly 9000 episodes) now so it's not surprising that a lot of actors got their start there, or did guest spots at some point. It's probably like appearing on the Young and the Restless or Days of our Lives I guess.
Julie S 1 year ago
I'm a big neighbours fan been watching it since it started. It's great to see people like Margot Robbie and Guy Piece doing well.
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#33
That people still live there despite learning the existance of: 1. spiders the size of my hand 2. flying spiders the size of my hand 3. literall wingless dragons 4. boxing world champion bipedal deer on roids 5. snakes that WILL k**l you with one bite within the hour 6. living rocks just outside the coast that will give you the early access of what hell will feel like 7. and the fact that THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN BURNED TO THE GROUND.
Little Wonder 1 year ago
Yes? Where else am I supposed to live? My car spiders would miss me if I left!
Gustav Gallifrey 1 year ago (edited)
I don't have a car. I have a mobile spider refuge. They enjoy the outings.
Load More Replies... Ken Beattie 1 year ago
I assume Living rocks refers to Stonefish. They're pretty rare to encounter these days. My father stood on one as a kid and ended up in hospital so they're definitely not fun. That said, he's the only person I know who's ever encountered one (much less stood one on). And the whole country didn't burn to the ground, just large chunks of the coast. The centre is mostly desert and there's nothing to burn >_<
Nonna_SoF 1 year ago
I mean, I suppose from a certain prospective you could consider the desert pre-burnt.
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Midoribird Aoi 1 year ago
"Boxing world champion bipedal deer on roids" is the best phrase I have seen in ages 😂😁
David Paterson 1 year ago
American mountain lions are bigger than Australian spiders. The original wingless dragons are the cobras, and Australia doesn't have any. If you see an Australian snake then it is either asleep or running away as fast as it can. Sheep kill more people than kangaroos. And California has been burned to the ground.
Terri Rickert 1 year ago
Australia is a BEAUTIFUL & AMAZING COUNTRY !!!!! My family 5 kids aged 5 to 12 years migrated to rural Australia (bought 200 acres of green rolling hills near Byron Bay) in 1969
Terri Rickert 1 year ago
Australia is an AMAZING & BEAUTFUL place TO live !!!!!!!! My family with 5 children aged 5 to 12 years migrated to near Byron Bay Australia (buying a 200 acre ranch) from north San Francisco in 1969 !!!!!!!!!
Lynn Morello 1 year ago
We have our venomous snakes, America has Vipers, Rattlesnakes and how many others that will kill you?
#34
That they don’t have a thriving film industry yet. So many good actors from there but they all make it big in Hollywood.
Stary_cat 1 year ago
Also some of the biggest superhero film were filmed in our theme parks and parts of pirates of the Caribbean was filmed on a clearing of grass behind my local shopping centre.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
We do have a solid film industry. And a ton of "US" films are actually made here, and/or have effects done here. Take a closer look at many of the superhero movies. They filmed a chunk of Thor: Ragnarok within spitting distance of where I worked in Brisbane. Aquaman was largely filmed on the Gold Coast.
James Marciniak 1 year ago
Oh yes we bloody well do, thank you very much. The fact that you have seen "The Castle, Muriel's Wedding, The Correct Mad Max, Ned Kelly." Is the simple fact that U's mericans Don't know movies other than Hollywood is sad.
Paul Gerrard 1 year ago
Australia has a solid film industry. And studios for filming many international films and digital cgi etc. animation too. Hanna Barbera studios was in Australia.
Phil Green 1 year ago
Mad Max? The original one? Picnic at Hanging Rock? Priscilla, Queen of the Desert?
Katie Lutesinger 1 year ago
They filmed The Matrix in Sydney! I've been to the bridge where Neo gets picked up in the car by Trinity and the others. It's right next to the Central Railway Station.
Rahb in Oz 1 year ago
Australia had a thriving film industry prior to WWI, but that was shut down, like many of the initiatives, because the government of the day saw Australia as a subservient supplier of primary goods; not technology. Despite this, Australia had developed the third stored program computer in the world, but the project was shut down in favour of cloud seeding.
#35
The poorly constructed homes…drafty, mold, collapsing….
Mavis 1 year ago
I don't know where that pic is, but its definitely not Australia. We do have plenty of crappy buildings though.
Lynn Morello 1 year ago
This photo is not even Australia. Any home can have mould if you don't clean it properly, My house is draught free and not ready to collapse at least for the next 100 years.
What do you think ?
SBocker78 1 year ago
I'm not proud of this, but as a child I thought the Mad Max movies were how Australians actually lived.
David Paterson 1 year ago
Will live. It's set in a post-apocalyptic future.
Load More Replies... Michael Largey 1 year ago
Aussies are so hospitable. They are always glad to relieve a visitor of the burden of holding up his end of the conversation.
Lady Miss Pie 1 year ago
This makes me want to go to Australia for a long stretch. Which will never happen because I am broke AF
Jeremiah Anderson 1 year ago
The free WiFi in city centers was fantastic! Especially while traveling with no cell phone service. The amount of information that they asked for before allowing you access to the free WiFi was hilarious! Name, email, home address, phone number, blood type, first born child, waiver signing over your very soul, etc.
Pickle (any pronouns) 1 year ago
The free WiFi in my city centre (we call them CBDs) is horrible, it automatically connects whenever I pass through on my commute and it screws with whatever I'm doing on my phone (e.g. Spotify, games) and it barely works (maybe because I'm not that close to the centre, but still).
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Mike Pasemko 1 year ago
I spent a couple of months on a job there, and I was also struck by how poorly houses were constructed with little insulation and poor heating systems. They seemed in denial that it got cold in South Australia in the winter
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 year ago
Three of my cousins live there and apparently when you visit someone you don't actually go inside their house, you just stand outside talking? One cousin visited another and the one whose house it was got mighty annoyed when the other one went inside the house to use the toilet. Like, WHAT? (We're South African.)
SBocker78 1 year ago
I'm not proud of this, but as a child I thought the Mad Max movies were how Australians actually lived.
David Paterson 1 year ago
Will live. It's set in a post-apocalyptic future.
Load More Replies... Michael Largey 1 year ago
Aussies are so hospitable. They are always glad to relieve a visitor of the burden of holding up his end of the conversation.
Lady Miss Pie 1 year ago
This makes me want to go to Australia for a long stretch. Which will never happen because I am broke AF
Jeremiah Anderson 1 year ago
The free WiFi in city centers was fantastic! Especially while traveling with no cell phone service. The amount of information that they asked for before allowing you access to the free WiFi was hilarious! Name, email, home address, phone number, blood type, first born child, waiver signing over your very soul, etc.
Pickle (any pronouns) 1 year ago
The free WiFi in my city centre (we call them CBDs) is horrible, it automatically connects whenever I pass through on my commute and it screws with whatever I'm doing on my phone (e.g. Spotify, games) and it barely works (maybe because I'm not that close to the centre, but still).
Load More Replies... Mike Pasemko 1 year ago
I spent a couple of months on a job there, and I was also struck by how poorly houses were constructed with little insulation and poor heating systems. They seemed in denial that it got cold in South Australia in the winter
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 year ago
Three of my cousins live there and apparently when you visit someone you don't actually go inside their house, you just stand outside talking? One cousin visited another and the one whose house it was got mighty annoyed when the other one went inside the house to use the toilet. Like, WHAT? (We're South African.)
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