Culture of Australia

Golden Summer by Arthur Streeton is an early example of the rich tradition of Australian landscape painting

Much of Australia’s culture has developed from European and more recently American roots, but distinctive Australian features have evolved from the environment, Aboriginal culture, the multicultural population and the influence of Australia’s neighbours. Australia has a long history of visual arts, starting with the cave and bark paintings of Aboriginal Australians. From the time of European settlement, a common theme in Australian art has been the Australian landscape, seen in the works of Arthur Streeton, Arthur Boyd and Albert Namatjira amongst others. Australian literature is also influenced by the landscape; the works of writers like Banjo Patterson and Henry Lawson captured the iconic Australian bush. The character of the colonial Australians embodied in early literature resonates with Australia today, egalitarianism, mateship, and anti-authoritarism, are still perceived as a part of the national character.

The traditions of indigenous Australians are oral and closely tied to ceremony and the telling of the stories of the Dreamtime. Australian Aboriginal music, dance and art are a visible influence on and within contemporary Australian visual and performing arts. The performing arts are well developed in Australia, with a rich tradition in ballet and theatre; a strong national opera company, Opera Australia, made prominent by the world renowned diva Dame Joan Sutherland; and symphony orchestras in all capital cities. Australian music includes, classical, jazz and all popular music genres.

Australia’s film industry has met with critical and commercial successes; most recently the animated short film Harvie Krumpet received an Academy Award. Australia also has strong local television production, particularly children’s, lifestyle, soap and drama series, Australian television shows like The Saddle Club, Neighbours, Home and Away and McLeod’s Daughters are currently broadcast internationally. Australia has three commercial and two public broadcast television networks, and two pay TV services; each major city has daily newspapers and there are two national daily newspapers, one of which is called The Australian. According to Reporters Without Borders in 2004, Australia is in 41st position on a list of countries ranked by Press Freedom; well behind New Zealand (9th) and United Kingdom (28th). This ranking is primarily due to limited diversity of media ownership.

Australian rules football was developed in Australia and is played at amateur and professional levels.

Australian cuisine has been widely influenced by the immigrant population; European, Asian, Indian, and Middle Eastern food items are prepared in the homes of many Australians. Indigenous Australian foods including kangaroo and a variety of plant foods, often called “bush tucker” remain specialty items. Uniquely Australian foods include the Tim Tam biscuit and the salty yeast spread Vegemite.

Sport is a part of the lifestyle of many Australians. An estimated 3.51 million Australians over the age of 15 (23.5 per cent) participate in organised sporting activities, and 62 per cent of children aged 5–14 participate in organised sport. At the national and international level Australia has strong teams in the following sports: Australian Rules football, cricket, netball, Rugby League, and Rugby Union. Australia is one of only two countries (the other being Greece) to have participated in every summer Olympic Games of the modern era; Australia hosted the 1956 and 2000 Summer Olympics; Australia has also participated in every Commonwealth Games. Corporate and government sponsorship of many sports and élite athletes is common in Australia. Televised sport is also popular; some of the highest rating television programming includes the summer Olympic Games and the grand finals of local and international football competitions.