Australian Culture
Cultural Influences
Australia’s culture has developed over time and been subject to many outside influences. The way we live our lives today owes a lot to the cultures of Europe, Great Britain and the United States. Our way of life is affected by our natural environment and the challenges of living in such a beautiful and difficult land. Immigration to Australia has provided more and more sources of cultural and ethnic diversity, allowing us to enjoy a wide range of food, art, and music. The heritage of the original inhabitants of the country also shapes who we are and how we do things. In recent years, our interactions with Asia, our closest neighbour, have also had an impact on our culture.
Immigration
Almost 30% of Australians today were born in other countries. 5.1% of our total population were born in the United Kingdom, 2.0% in New Zealand, 1.2% in Italy, 0.9% in Vietnam, 0.8% in China, 0.7% in Greece, 0.6% in Germany, 0.6% in the Philippines, 0.5% in India, and 0.5% in the Netherlands. Roughly 0.9% of Australian citizens were born in countries now known as Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, and Macedonia.
Australia’s largest immigration surge occurred just after WWII. In order to populate and ensure Australia’s survival, the government enticed British citizens to migrate by subsidising their travel to Australia (adults paid 10 pounds and children were free). This gave Australia the much needed work force for our booming post-war industries.
Migration to Australia 1947 – 1998
| Country / Area | Number |
% |
| Britain & Ireland | 1,425,400 |
29.6% |
| North & WestEurope | 334,900 |
7.0% |
| East Europe | 526,700 |
11.0% |
| South Europe | 534,500 |
11.1% |
| West Asia & NorthAfrica | 196,000 |
4.1% |
| South Asia | 172,700 |
3.6% |
| East Asia | 798,600 |
16.6% |
| America | 194,300 |
4.0% |
| Africa | 134,300 |
2.8% |
| Pacific (incl. New Zealand) | 489,400 |
10.2% |
| TOTAL | 4,806,200 |
100.0% |
Aboriginal Culture
The original inhabitants of Australia, the Aboriginal people, have a rich cultural tradition of art, music, spiritual beliefs, dance, and history (to name a few).
The most significant aspect of most Aboriginal cultures is the importance of being connected with the land. There are many different types of Aboriginal culture. At the time of the arrival of the European settlers, there were more than 200 different aboriginal languages spoken, each representing a distinct culture with its own laws, traditions, customs and beliefs. European settlement has had a negative impact on the culture of many Aboriginal people. For example, of the 200 languages that were spoken at the time of settlement, only about 20 remain strong. However, in recent years, more efforts have been made to maintain Aboriginal culture, such as the decision to recognise Native Title (the right of Aboriginal people to live on their traditional land), and the teaching of Aboriginal languages in some schools.
The Arts
Cinema
Australia has a successful and ever growing entertainment industry. Since the 1960s and 70s, an increase in government funding has meant that more quality Australian films have and continue to be made. Australian films tend to be about Australian values: equality, mateship, and a fair go for everyone are common themes. This can be seen in notable Australian films such as Gallipoli, Breaker Morant, Shine, The Castle, and Rabbit-Proof Fence. The most successful Australian films at the Australian box office are listed below (figures are in Australian dollars):
| Title | Turnover |
| Crocodile Dundee (1986) | $ 47,707,045 |
| Babe (1995) | $ 36,776,544 |
| Moulin Rouge (2001) | $ 27,711,638 |
| Crocodile Dundee II (1988) | $ 24,916,805 |
| Strictly Ballroom (1992) | $ 21,746,400 |
| The Dish (2000) | $ 17,990,148 |
| The Man from Snowy River (1982) | $ 17,288,160 |
| The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert(1994) | $ 16,459,245 |
| Muriel’s Wedding (1994) | $ 15,765,571 |
| Young Einstein (1988) | $ 13,383,377 |
More and more overseas films are being produced in Australia due to the relatively lower cost of filming here, as well as the large pool of talent available. Some of the biggest films of recent years were filmed in Australia, such as Superman Returns, Mission Impossible II, The Matrix, and Star Wars II and III. The Australian film industry continues to grow, aided by great directors such as Baz Luhrmann, and Peter Weir. Many great Australian actors and actresses, such as Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Naomi Watts, Toni Collette, Russell Crowe, Mel Gibson, Hugh Jackman, Anthony LaPaglia, Eric Bana and Heath Ledger, are helping to establish Australia’s reputation overseas.
Music
Australia’s music scene is relatively young, or relatively old, depending on how you look at it. The aboriginal people of Australia have a long music tradition which is linked to their history. Song is used as a method of telling stories, although after European settlement, this tradition declined. In recent years, however, Aboriginal music has become more popular as a means of social protest. Bands such as Yothu Yindi use traditional aboriginal music with a modern twist to bring aboriginal issues to the attention of mainstream society.
Apart from aboriginal music, there are many styles of music listened to in Australia. Most genres, such as rock, jazz, pop, dance/electronic, country, hip hop, and classical music, are very popular. Australia has its own music awards, the Arias (Australian Recording Industry Association). Australia also has many famous recording artists that are known around the world including AC/DC, INXS, Natalie Imbruglia, Kylie Minogue, Olivia Newton-John, Bee Gees, Peter Allen and Savage Garden.
Visual Arts
Australian visual arts, like most facets of Australian culture, have a wide range of influences and have gone through many stages of development. Aboriginal art is the oldest art tradition in Australia, and has experienced a recent surge in popularity. For the aboriginal people, however, popularity is not the main reason that art is produced. Art, like music, is an essential part of their spirituality, and Aboriginal artworks often have a deep spiritual significance to the artist. Aboriginal art often depicts the land, or aspects of nature, in an abstract way. One of the most well-known styles of Aboriginal art is dot-painting, where thousands of dots of colour are applied to create a larger image. This is also known as the Papunya method.
Other styles of Australian art are heavily influenced by the European tradition. After European settlement, most of the artwork to come out of Australia dealt with landscapes painted in a traditional western way. Like the rest of the world, Australia’s art scene was influenced by the various movements of impressionism, modernism, and surrealism, although classical realism remains popular. Some of Australia’s best known artists include:
Aboriginal painter Albert Namatjira, who painted Australia’s landscapes using traditional western styles.
Sidney Nolan, who painted stylised portraits of figures such as the legendary Ned Kelly, an Australian outlaw.
Brett Whitely, a Sydney artist who produced spellbinding depictions of Sydney harbour. Max Dupain, a photographer who captured iconic images of Australia’s beaches and beachgoers.
Jackson Pollock, whose massive abstract work, Blue Poles, was purchased for a record-breaking AU$1.3 million by the government in 1973. At the time this was the highest price ever paid for a modern painting, and its purchase by the government created much controversy. The painting can be seen at the Australian National Gallery in Canberra.
Literature
Australian literature began to develop soon after the arrival of the first European settlers. Although Aboriginal people had a rich tradition of storytelling, mythology and history, theirs was a largely oral tradition. The first Australian literature tended to have a narrative focus. Poetry, ballads and stories all tended to focus on action and adventure. Some of the best examples of these themes are in Banjo Paterson’s most famous works: ‘Waltzing Matilda’, ‘The Man from Snowy River’, and ‘Clancy of the Overflow’. The harshness of the outback and the determination of the early settlers to succeed, remain important themes in many Australian literary works.
More recently, Australia has had no shortage of prominent authors. Patrick White became the first Australian to win a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1973, and since then many Australians have won international literary awards, such as Peter Carey, who has won the Booker Award twice, and David Malouf, who has won the Commonwealth Writers Prize, and been short-listed for the Booker. Modern Australian literature is less focused on adventure than it was in the past. A more common theme is that of identity. The ‘melting-pot’ of cultural influences has led to many writers using their works to question what it means to be Australian. Other famous Australian writers include Germaine Greer, Colleen McCullough, Bryce Courtenay, Thomas Keneally and Matthew Reilly.
Ethnic Diversity
Australia is extremely diverse in terms of ethnicity, with immigrants from a huge range of countries contributing to our cultural life in many different areas. The Australian ideal of a ‘fair go’ for everyone means that most Australians are tolerant and accepting of people from other cultures. Immigration has done so much for our country, not only in providing a bigger workforce (the Snowy Mountains Scheme would never have been completed if it weren’t for the efforts of thousands of immigrants) but also in bringing new and exciting ideas to our country. This is evident not only in the areas of film, literature and art, but also in terms of food. Most of the big cities in Australia are great examples of how immigration has broadened our awareness of the world beyond our shores. For example, Lygon Street in Melbourne is like a little slice of Italy, and Sydney’s Chinatown boasts some of the best yum cha this side of Beijing.
Food
In the past, Australian food was heavily influenced by English food. The original settlers brought with them the food that they had grown up eating: steaks, roasts, Yorkshire puddings and Irish stew. As a result, Australian cuisine was not well suited to our climate – as anyone who has had a full baked dinner on a sweltering Christmas Day will know. Over time, the influx of immigrants from different parts of the world, particularly the Mediterranean and Asia, has had a big impact on the kinds of food we eat, particularly in the bigger cities. Almost any kind of food is available in Australia and Australians have become much more adventurous in terms of what they eat. Thai, Indian, Italian, French, Greek and Lebanese food are all readily available and extremely popular. Having said that, there are still some staple foods that no self-respecting Australian would do without. Some of these are listed below:
Vegemite: an extremely salty spread made out of yeast, which is popular on sandwiches and toast. Many people say it’s a taste you have to grow up with in order to like it.
Lamington: a type of cake. A square of sponge cake (sometimes with cream in the middle) is dipped in chocolate and then rolled in coconut. Absolutely delicious.
Anzac biscuit: a biscuit made from rolled oats, coconut and golden syrup. These biscuits were created during the First World War.
Pavlova: a type of dessert. A meringue base is topped with cream and fruit salad.
Beverages
In terms of alcoholic drinks, Australia is a country of beer lovers, and increasingly of wine lovers as well. Some of the most popular Australian beers include VB (Victoria Bitter), Tooheys, Carlton and XXXX (Four X). Foster's, while popular overseas, is not nearly as popular in Australia. Beer is a big part of pub culture (see below). Australia is the fourth-largest consumer of beer in the world, with 109.9 litres per person annually. Darwin (in the Northern Territory) has the highest beer consumption of any city, with 230 litres per person per year.
Wine is also becoming an increasingly popular option in Australia, and due to the increase in production of Australian wines, it is becoming more and more accessible. Some of the best vineyards in Australia are located in the Hunter Valley (NSW), the Coonawarra Valley (VIC) and the Barossa Valley (SA). Australian wine is popular not only at home, but also overseas where Australia is fast gaining a good reputation as an international wine producer.
Other common non-alcoholic drinks in Australia include fruit juices, tea (usually taken with milk and/or sugar), and cordial, which is similar to soft drink/soda, although not carbonated.
BYO (Bring your own): Many Australian restaurants, whether they have liquor licences or not, allow their patrons to bring their own wine or beer. The restaurant then charges a small fee (approx. $2 per person) for corkage.
Recreation
Television and the Media
Television was introduced to Australia in September 1956. In the beginning there was only black and white television, but by 1976, colour TV had been introduced. At the moment there are five free-to-air channels in Australia. Two of these are government-funded channels: the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) and SBS (Special Broadcasting Service). The others are commercial networks: the Nine Network (sometimes known as WIN in regional areas), the Seven Network, and Network Ten. Australia has a wide range of excellent TV programming, including home-grown programmes like Neighbours, Home and Away and McLeod’s Daughters. Australia also shows a wide variety of programmes imported from overseas, including many American and British shows.
Pub Culture
Going to the pub is an essential part of the Australian cultural experience. Although many glamorous bars have recently sprung up, particularly in the larger capital cities, many people still continue to go to their local pub for a cold beer, a game of pool or a chat with friends. Many local pubs in Australia are called hotels (for example The Royal Hotel or the Orient Hotel) even though they don't all offer accommodation. The pub is a popular place to watch televised sport, and during important football matches most pubs become incredibly crowded.
National Holidays
Australia celebrates ten official public holidays annually. Most shops and businesses are closed on public holidays, although some (like service stations and supermarkets) remain open. Depending on the time of year, many people celebrate public holidays by going to the beach or catching up for a barbecue with friends. Many Australian public holidays are religious in origin, for example all Easter Holidays and, of course, Christmas day. Other holidays are in honour of secular events. Australia day commemorates the landing of Captain Arthur Phillip in Sydney Cove in 1788 and is Australia's official national day. Anzac day honours the soldiers from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who have died serving their country and is held on the anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli during WWI. The Queen's Birthday is a holiday celebrated by all Commonwealth countries. It is renamed the King's Birthday when the reigning monarch is a King, and is not held on the actual day of the monarch's birthday.
Standard Public Holidays in Australia:
New Year's Day 1st January.
Australia Day 26th January
Good Friday Easter
Easter Saturday Easter
Easter Monday Easter
Anzac Day 25th April
Queen's Birthday (not WA) 2nd Monday in June
Christmas Day 25th December
Boxing Day (not SA) 26th December.
If a public holiday falls on a weekend day, the usual policy is that a weekday (either Monday or Friday) is given as a substitute holiday.
Religion
Most Australians identify themselves as Christian, although all world religions are represented in Australia. There is a growing number of Muslim Australians, due in large part to immigration from areas such as the Middle East. Although many people do identify themselves as following one religion or another, Australia is a mostly secular country. The Constitution of Australia specifies that there is no state religion. The popularity of major religions is set out below (although it must be noted that this data comes from an optional question on the census):
| Religion | % |
| Christian | 68.00% |
| Buddhist | 1.90% |
| Muslim | 1.50% |
| Hindu | 0.50% |
| Jewish | 0.40% |
| Sikh | 0.10% |
| Other Religions | 0.40% |
| No Religion | 15.50% |
| Not Stated | 11.70% |
Slang
Australia is an English-speaking country; but to speak Australian is to speak a variety of the language that’s considerably different from any variety of English found on Earth! Below are some examples of phrases, words and expressions unique to Australia. People from Britain may recognise some of these words or phrases, as many of our ‘Australian-isms’ come from the original European immigrants to this country; that is, the convicts shipped out here from Great Britain. However, this isn’t the only source of Australian slang. Some words, like ‘corrobboree’ are aboriginal in origin; others, like ‘journo’, ‘brickie’, and ‘pollie’ are just products of the Australian tendency to shorten words. Some of the slang words listed below are in very common usage, like ‘arvo’, ‘reckon’, or ‘too right!’ Others like ‘don’t come the raw prawn’ or ‘dunny budgie’ are less common, but still used in many parts of Australia. Australian slang can be a bit confusing at times, but it’s great fun, and a big part of Australian culture in general.
People
| Ankle biter | a small child |
| Banana bender | someone from Queensland (insulting) |
| Battler | someone who works very hard but struggles financially |
| Beaut/beauty/little beauty | fantastic |
| Bloke | man |
| Blow-in | a stranger |
| Bludger | someone who does little or no work |
| Bluey | a person with red hair |
| Bogan | an insulting term for someone who is not sophisticated. |
| Brickie | a bricklayer |
| Bushranger | an outlaw |
| Cadbury | faintly insulting term for someone who gets drunk very easily (as the Cadbury’s advertising slogan is ‘a glass and a half) |
| Clayton’s | a substitute, a fake |
| Cobber | a friend (usually used by a male to refer to a male) |
| Cockie | farmer, also cockatoo |
| Cool | good |
| Crook | a criminal (may also mean sick) |
| Dag | a goofy but likeable person |
| Dero | a tramp (from ‘derelict’) |
| Dickhead | an idiot |
| Digger | a soldier (from Anzac soldiers who dug trenches) |
| Dole Bludger | someone who collects the pension/welfare and is accused of not looking for work. |
| Drongo | an idiot |
| Fruit loop | someone who is slightly crazy |
| Galah | an idiot |
| Garbologist | a garbage collector |
| Greenie | environmentalist |
| Hoon | hooligan (often refers to young people who drive to fast) |
| Jackaroo | male farm hand |
| Jillaroo | female farm hand |
| Journo | journalist |
| Jumped up | someone that thinks highly of themselves |
| Kiwi | a New Zealander |
| Larrikin | a joker |
| Mallee Bull (fit as a) | in very good shape, young and strong |
| Mate | friend |
| Mexican | someone from Victoria or South Australia, that is, south of the border (insulting) |
| Milko | milkman |
| Mob | group of people, such as a large family or a group of friends |
| Mongrel | a disgraceful person |
| Nipper | a child who is learning about surf-lifesaving |
| Oldies | parents |
| Ocker | someone unsophisticated |
| Offsider | a supporter or helper |
| Perve | short for pervert |
| Piker | someone who leaves a party early, or someone who says they will attend and then doesn’t. |
| Pollie | politician |
| Postie | postman |
| Ratbag | a slightly insulting term, usually applied to children in an affectionate way |
| Rellies; | extended family (from ‘relatives’) |
| Ring-in | a last minute substitute, for example for a sporting team or at the workplace. |
| Salvo | a member of the Salvation Army (a church in Australia) |
| Shark Biscuit | inexperienced surfer |
| Sheila | a woman |
| Shonky | untrustworthy, poorly constructed |
| Sick (or fully sick) | something is cool |
| Sook | someone who is very sensitive emotionally |
| Spunk | someone who is extremely attractive |
| Surfie | someone who surfs all the time |
| Tickets (to have on yourself) | to have a high opinion of yourself |
| True Blue | truly Australian, patriotic |
| Up oneself | to have a high opinion of oneself |
| Useful as a one-legged man in an arse-kicking competition | not very useful |
| Wuss | coward |
| Yobbo | an idiot |
| Youse | plural of ‘you’ (‘would youse all get over here and have a look at this!’) |
Activities
| Aussie salute | to wave your hand in front of your face to get rid of the flies. |
| Bail up | to threaten someone physically |
| Barrack | to cheer for a team or person (sport) |
| Big-note yourself | to boast |
| Block (do your) | to get angry |
| Blow in the bag | to take a breathalyser test |
| Blue | a fight |
| Bog in | to start eating |
| Give it a burl | to try at something |
| Chuck | to throw |
| Chuck up | to vomit |
| Chuck a u-ey | to make a u-turn |
| Come the raw prawn | to try and fool someone (‘don’t come the raw prawn with me!’) |
| Corrobboree | a gathering or party, particularly a noisy one (this word is aboriginal in origin) |
| Crack onto someone | to make a romantic advance |
| Dob in | to report someone for doing the wrong thing |
| Spit the dummy | to get angry |
| Ear-bash | to nag someone |
| Get off one’s face | to get drunk |
| Flat out like a lizard drinking (to be) | to be very busy |
| Flick (give someone the) | to get rid of someone, like a boyfriend (‘He was no good so I gave him the flick’) |
| Flog | to sell, particularly something of inferior quality (‘He’s flogging a second-hand bike) |
| Fossick | to search |
| Frog in a sock (to go off like a) | to get very angry |
| Game (to be) | to be up for something, to be eager to try something new. |
| Get up someone | to reprimand someone |
| Gobful (give someone) | to abuse someone verbally |
| Harold Holt (to do a) | to disappear unexpectedly (from the former Australian prime minister, Harold Holt, who disappeared while swimming at the beach) |
| Knock something or someone | to criticize something or someone |
| Nuddy (in the) | naked |
| Pash | a passionate kiss |
| Perve (to have a) | to look at someone lustfully (also see ‘People’) |
| Pissed | drunk |
| Plate (bring a) | bring a plate of food, to a barbecue or party. |
| Rack off | get lost, go away |
| Rapt | extremely happy |
| Rock up | to arrive, sometimes unexpectedly |
| Ropeable | very angry |
| Rort | to swindle or cheat |
| Shoot through | to leave suddenly or quickly |
| Shut ya gob | be quiet |
| Sickie (chuck a) | to pretend to be sick in order to have a day off work |
| Smoko | a quick break from work |
| Spew | to vomit |
| Spewing | very angry |
| Sprung (to be) | to be caught doing something wrong or secret |
| Tart yourself up | to get dressed up in your best clothes |
| Technicolour yawn (to have a) | to throw up |
| Wag school | to play truant |
| Wobbly (chuck a) | to throw a tantrum |
| Yakka (hard) | hard work |
Useful Expressions
| Ace | very good |
| Arvo | afternoon |
| Bingle | a road accident, often not serious |
| Bloody | very, extremely (‘that’s bloody terrific’) |
| Bloody oath | I agree with you |
| Bonzer | fantastic |
| Bottling (his blood’s worth) | he’s a great, helpful person |
| Buckley’s chance | not likely to happen |
| Bullshit | I don’t believe you |
| Cactus | broken, no good |
| Cark it | to die |
| Chockablock/Chockers | completely full |
| Click | a kilometre (‘the nearest pub is ten clicks down the road’) |
| Come a gutser | to have a bad accident |
| Come good | turn out okay (‘I thought it was a goner but it came good in the end’) |
| Cooee (within) | not too far away |
| Crikey! | an expression of surprise or enthusiasm |
| Cut snake (mad as a) | extremely angry, or extremely crazy |
| Deadset | true, to be serious (‘it’s deadset amazing’) |
| Dingo’s breakfast | no breakfast |
| Dinkum/Fair dinkum | real, genuine, true |
| Dinki-di | good, genuine, real |
| Docket | receipt |
| Doco | documentary |
| Dunny rat (cunning as a) | sneaky, very cunning |
| Fair suck of the sav! | really? |
| Furphy | a false story or a rumour |
| G’day | hello, good morning (from ‘good day’) |
| Going off (it is) | it’s fantastic (‘this party’s going off’) |
| Gone walkabout | unable to be found |
| Good oil | great idea, useful |
| Good onya/Onya | congratulations, a job well done |
| Grouse | wonderful, super |
| Hooroo | goodbye (casual) |
| Iffy | not quite right |
| Kangaroos loose in the top paddock | a bit slow intellectually |
| Kick the bucket | die |
| Mate’s rate | a discount elicited by knowing the right person |
| No worries | great, not a problem, can do. |
| Reckon/I reckon! | of course, definitely |
| Ripper | fantastic |
| She’ll be apples | it will be fine |
| She’ll be right | it will be fine |
| Strewth | a mild swear word, to express amazement (‘strewth, these bananas are expensive!) |
| Stoked | happy, delighted |
| Too right | I agree completely |
| Turps (hit the) | to go on a drinking spree |
Things: places, animals, occasions, objects
| Aerial ping pong | Australian Rules Football |
| Amber fluid | beer |
| B & S Ball | Bachelors and Spinsters Ball. These are usually held in outback areas, attended by young people and despite being called a ‘ball’, are very casual. |
| Back of Bourke | a long way away, somewhere in the countryside |
| Barbie | barbecue |
| Bathers | swimming costume |
| Bikkie | biscuit, cookie |
| Bitzer | a mongrel dog (from ‘bits of this, bits of that’) |
| Black stump (beyond the) | very far away |
| Blowie | a blow fly |
| Bluey | blue heeler, a type of dog used to herd cattle |
| Boardies | surf shorts |
| Boogie board | a small surfboard, otherwise known as a body board. |
| Boozer | local pub |
| Bottle-o | off-license, bottle-shop |
| Brekkie | breakfast |
| Brisvegas | Brisbane, the capital of Queensland |
| Budgie smugglers | tight-fitting Speedo swimsuits worn by lifesavers. |
| Bullbar/ roo bar | a bar that goes across the front bumper of a car to protect the car in case it hits an animal. |
| Bundy | a type of rum made in Bundaberg, Queensland |
| Bunyip | a legendary Australian animal found in the outback. |
| Bush | the countryside |
| Bush telly | a campfire |
| Chewie | chewing gum |
| Chockie | chocolate |
| Chook | chicken (also sometimes used as a term of endearment) |
| Clobber | clothes |
| Coathanger | the Sydney Harbour Bridge |
| Coldie | a beer |
| Compo | Worker’s Compensation (the pension) |
| Cossie | swimming costume |
| Cut lunch | sandwiches brought from home for lunch |
| Daks | trousers, underpants |
| Down under | Australia |
| Dunny | toilet (sometimes an outside toilet) |
| Dunny budgie | a blowfly |
| Esky | a portable icebox |
| Fairy floss | cotton candy, candy floss |
| Flake | shark meat |
| Freshie | freshwater crocodile |
| Goon/ Goonie juice | very cheap wine, cask wine |
| Icy pole | frozen ice lolly, popsicle |
| Kero | kerosene |
| Kindie | kindergarten |
| Lemon | something that doesn’t work or is faulty, often refers to a car. |
| Lippy | lipstick |
| Lollies | candy, sweets |
| Loo | toilet |
| Maccas | McDonalds |
| One-armed bandit | poker machine/slot machine |
| Outback | anywhere in the interior of Australia, rural areas of Australia |
| Pav | short for pavlova, a popular Australian dessert made of meringue, cream and fruit. |
| Plonk | alcohol, cheap wine |
| Pokies | poker machines/slot machines |
| Pressie | present, gift |
| Rego | registration (of a car) |
| Saltie | saltwater crocodile |
| Servo | a petrol station (from ‘service station’) |
| Slab | a case of beer |
| Snag | a sausage |
| Spag bol | Spaghetti Bolognese |
| Strine | Australian slang and pronunciation. From a book published about Australian pronunciation called ‘Let Stalk Strine’; that is, ‘Let’s Talk Australian’. |
| Stubby | a small beer bottle |
| Thongs | flip-flops, usually made out of rubber and very popular in summer |
| Tinny | a can of beer, also refers to a small aluminium boat. |
| Togs | swimming costume |
| Top end | the north of Australia |
| Two-up | a (gambling) game played on Anzac day (25th April) that involves spinning two coins at the same time. |
| Uni | university |
| Ute | a utility vehicle, pick-up truck |
| Woop woop | a fictional place in the Australian outback, used to refer to any small/unimportant town a long way away. |
| XXXX | pronounced Four X, a brand of beer made in Queensland. |