Relocating to a new country is not a small decision; Ambler Collins aims to provide you with the most up-to-date and reliable information on important aspects
of life in the country your interested in moving to. Please see the menu below for more information on life in
Australia.
Life and Culture in Australia
Australia’s beaches and sun have drawn thousands of migrants from all around the world. The very warm climate, the big open spaces and huge coastline have played a significant role in developing the characteristic Australian lifestyle. The large immigrant communities’ from various parts of the world have brought with them their own cultures and the resulting mixture creates a vibrant and exciting atmosphere. Some of the most significant immigrant communities include Italian, Greek, Lebanese, Chinese, and Indian.
Indigenous Australians, or Aboriginals have had a torrid relationship with the settling Europeans. Still today the big socio-economic divide between the 500,000 aboriginals and European Australians is unmistakable. Recent formal political apologies for past wrongs have come as a result of major attempts to heal what are deep race relation problems in Australia. Aboriginal culture and art have remained strong despite this, and aboriginal art and music have become symbols of Australia.
Sport and outdoor recreation
Outdoor recreation is commonplace for most people, and sports are a national obsession. Cricket is the standard summer sport and in winter, Rugby Union, Rugby League, and Australian Rules football or AFL, are the most popular sports. Australia’s passion for sport extends far beyond the major codes, and you can find virtually every sport followed and practised to a high level.
Cuisine
Modern Australian cuisine has been greatly influenced by the influx of immigration from South East Asia and the Mediterranean and has come along way from the ‘meat and 3 veg’ of the English settlers. BBQs are part of the national identity, and availability of fresh seafood makes for wonderful outdoor summer dining.
Arts
All the major cities have significant cultural communities, however Melbourne is commonly scene to have the strongest arts scene. Musically, hard-edged rock music has always been Australia’s forte, with bands such as AC/DC, Silverchair and INXS achieving worldwide recognition. Hip-hop and Electronic scenes have developed in Melbourne and Sydney however still rock music is the most common genre. Australian film has a very long history dating back to the turn of the 20th century, and today there are many major studios producing major international blockbusters. Significant Australian films of the last decades include Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, The Castle, and Strictly Ballroom. Australian literature displays much of the countries national character and history through its long history; significant writers include Murray Bail and Peter Carey.
Media
TV – Free-to-air: ABC1 • ABC2 • Seven Network (HD) • Nine Network (HD) • Network Ten (HD) • SBS TV (HD)
Pay TV – Foxtel, Austar, Optus Television
Major Newspapers – The Australian (National), The Daily Telegraph (Sydney) The Age (Melbourne), The Courier Mail (Brisbane), The West Australian (Perth), The Canberra Times (Canberra)
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