Culture, Customs and Etiquette in Australia

Society & Culture

Australian Modesty

• Australians are very down to earth and always mindful of not giving the impression that they think they are better than anyone else.
• They value authenticity, sincerity, and loathe pretentiousness.
• Australians prefer people who are modest, humble, self- deprecating and with a sense of humour.
• They do not draw attention to their academic or other achievements and tend to distrust people who do.
• They often downplay their own success, which may make them appear not to be achievement-oriented.

Mates 

• Australians place a high value on relationships.
• With a relatively small population, it is important to get along with everyone, since you never know when your paths may cross again.
• This leads to a win-win negotiating style, since having everyone come away with positive feelings helps facilitate future business dealings.

Multi-Cultural Society

• The initial population of Australia was made up of Aborigines and people of British and Irish descent.
• After World War II there was heavy migration from Europe, especially from Greece, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia, Lebanon, and Turkey.
• This was in response to the Australian policy of proactively trying to attract immigrants to boost the population and work force.
• In the last thirty years, Australia has liberalised its immigration policy and opened its borders to South East Asia.
• This has caused a real shift in self-perception as Aussies begin to re-define themselves as a multi-cultural and multi-faith society rather then the old homogenous, white, Anglo- Saxon, Protestant nation.

Etiquette & Customs

Meeting Etiquette

• Australians are not very formal so greetings are casual and relaxed.
• A handshake and smile suffices.
• While an Australian may say, 'G'day' or 'G'day, mate', this may sound patronizing from a foreigner.
• Visitors should simply say, 'Hello' or 'Hello, how are you?'
• Aussies prefer to use first names, even at the initial meeting

Gift Giving Etiquette

• Small gifts are commonly exchanged with family members, close friends, and neighbours on birthdays and Christmas.
• Trades people such as sanitation workers may be given a small amount of cash, or more likely, a bottle of wine or a six-pack of beer!
• If invited to someone's home for dinner, it is polite to bring a box of chocolates or flowers to the hostess. A good quality bottle of wine is always appreciated.
• Gifts are opened when received.

Dining Etiquette

• Many invitations to an Aussies home will be for a 'barbie' (BBQ).
• Guests to a barbeque typically bring wine or beer for their personal consumption. In some cases, very informal barbecues may suggest that you bring your own meat!
• Arrive on time if invited to dinner; no more than 15 minutes late if invited to a barbeque or a large party.
• Contact the hostess ahead of time to see if she would like you to bring a dish.
• Offer to help the hostess with the preparation or clearing up after a meal is served.

Best Festival

It’s no secret Australians love a festival. 

Field Day (Sydney)

Field Day is the indisputable king of New Years Day partying in Sydney. What began as a recovery party with a handful of house DJs and a few hundred punters has grown and diversified with each year. Slickly organised and always buzzing, it’s little wonder Field Day has endured. Its star attraction remains the grassy surrounds of The Domain, which in 2011 were filled with the likes of Justice, Public Enemy, Erol Alkan and Trentemoller.

Defqon.1 (Sydney)

With a scale of production rarely seen at Australian festivals, Defqon.1 arrived in 2009 with all fire-cannons blazing. Transforming the Sydney International Regatta Centre into “the ultimate party island”, Dutch powerhouse Q-dance pulls no punches on line-up, pyrotechnics, staging and – crucially – sound. In 2011, the motto is sure to be: “Bigger is better”.

Big Day Out (National)

The original (and in many people’s eyes, the best) Big Day Out is the don of the summer festival circuit. While the main-stages are reserved for marquee rock, hip hop and indie names, electronic music lovers have always flocked to the Boiler Room. Always hot and heavy, in 2011 the dance line-up includes Booka Shade, LCD Soundsystem and The Bloody Beetroots.

Breakfest (Perth)

For a decade now, Boxing Day in Perth has belonged to Breakfest. Staged in the unique setting of the Belvoir Amphitheatre, the boutique festival is the work of Perth’s premier party crew Boomtick. From the scorching afternoon to the finale under the stars, it’s a guaranteed block-rocker.

Creamfields (National)

In 2010, international powerhouse Creamfields made its bold entry to the Australian festival calendar. Helmed by Totem Onelove – the people behind the gargantuan Stereosonic tour at the start of summer – Creamfields does the national rounds in the usually barren month of May. 2011 sees Deadmau5 brings his LED Mau5head and jaw-dropping new live set-up to the headline slot.

Military Lifestyle

The Australian Army has an ethos of courage and toughness. Australian soldiers work as part of a team, and are inspired by the ANZAC tradition of fairness and loyalty to their mates. They are respected for their professionalism, integrity, initiative and esprit de corps.


THE ARMY'S CORE VALUES

COURAGE
Courage, moral and physical, to act in the best interests of the Nation and the Army; including the moral strength and professionalism to balance the will to win with compassion, and mateship with duty.

INITIATIVE
Initiative to explore opportunities and embrace innovation to improve Army and our service to our Nation.

RESPECT
Respect for ourselves, our colleagues, our community and our history of service to the Nation; acknowledging that each one of us has earned the right to wear the Rising Sun Badge and the responsibility to uphold the values and traditions it symbolises.

TEAMWORK
Teamwork to support each other, our Australian community, our allies and our regional security partners in striving to achieve our mission; in a world connected by digital communication, such national and international 'communities' exist in both physical and online domains.


An Australian soldier has a will to win, a dedication to duty, a great sense of honour and compassion, belief in honesty and the benefits of mateship and teamwork and a wealth of physical and moral courage. You are accountable for your actions and decisions and are asked to bring honour to Australia, the Army, your mates and yourself.

TRADITIONS

The Army has a number of time honoured traditions which survive today as a reminder of our rich history. They're important in building the Army's esprit de corps, the spirit of comradeship and commitment to a cause.

The salute is one such tradition in the Army. It remains today as a greeting and a symbol of mutual respect, belief and trust. The minute's silence to acknowledge departed comrades, Red Poppy Day and The Ode of Remembrance all serve to represent the sacrifices made by officers and soldiers in years past.

MEDALS

Officers and soldiers that uphold the traditions and values of the Army have the opportunity to earn a range of medals, symbols of outstanding individual effort, or involvement in significant missions. Members who served for over 30 days in East Timor, when Australia led the movement to remove the occupying Indonesian power from the territory, received an International Force East Timor (INTERFET) medal. It features the dove of peace with an olive branch on one side, with the words TOGETHER AS ONE FOR PEACE IN EAST TIMOR.

Medals that reflect outstanding individual efforts include Australian Gallantry, Distinguished Service and Conspicuous Service Decorations. And of course there is Australia's most prestigious Gallantry Decoration, The Victoria Cross for Australia.

Residential Architecture Styles of Australians

THE TRIPLE FRONTED BRICK VENEER

This style of house has a brick facade (exterior) with timber frames supporting interior walls, usually of gyprock. Roofs are always hipped or gabled and tiled. This style dominated suburban architecture in the 50's - 60's. In its basic form it is a bland and unimaginative style which has been propagated by developers. Due to its familiar and cheap construction, it still is the dominant style in housing estates and many consider the style the scourge of Australian domestic architecture. The basic style can be made much more interesting by rendering and painting, adding more angles, porticos, verandahs, and bay windows. Larger homes (2 stories) of this style have been described as "McMansions".

THE TIMBER and FIBRO " Fisherman's" COTTAGE 

The original fisherman's cottage was built in many coastal towns between the 30's and 50's. It was originally a simple timber framed structure of one or two rooms and a verandah which was clad with asbestos sheeting. The floors were generally raised on piles. The verandah sometimes had handsome wooden balustrade that was sometimes enclosed to make an additional room or sleep-out. Timber detail around windows and gables were often painted- cheery red being one of the most popular traditional colours.

The original cottages, being relatively cheap to purchase, are now popular for renovation. Construction is easy and owner-building is common. The older buildings require insulation in the ceiling and walls. Timber and fiber cement sheeting now replaces the original asbestos and often the interior is completed gutted to create a modern open plan style of living. Timber strap-work can be used and windows frames painted for effect.

THE REGIONAL GABLED COTTAGE

This popular style has emerged from the triple fronted brick veneer. While the house footprint and floor plan may be quite similar, the gabled cottage has a very different feel. In this style the distinctive gabled roof is a dominant design element, and a practical means of providing shade and entertaining space. Constructions can be entirely of brick (often painted), entirely timber, or a combination of brick on the lower part of the house and timber on the upper. Some houses of brick construction have featured verandahs and porticos. Roofs are usually galvanized iron and windows metal framed.

While it is well suited to sloping blocks, this style can also be built on a slab. The use of timber cladding greatly reduces weight and construction costs.

RANCH STYLE HOMES

The ranch style became popular in the nineties. It originated in Adelaide and subsequently became popular in regional and coastal NSW. The floor plan is simple and footprint (of at least the street facing section) is often rectangular. Walls are usually brick, or brick and timber, and windows are often colonial style floor-to-ceiling. Roofs usually tiled with extended eaves. The garage was often integrated into the house. Some ranch style houses were boomerang shaped, others were L shaped for corner allotments.

Ranch style houses can be readily combined with the Murcutt/Drew style (timber and galvanized iron). These smaller ranch style houses often have balconies the width of the house.

THE MURCUTT/DREW STEEL AND CORRUGATED IRON HOUSE

A number of styles have emerged from the influence of architects Phillip Drew and Glen Murcutt. The geometric play of angles is often a signature, likewise the (sometimes exposed) steel framing and corrugated iron cladding which is available in a variety of colours. Fiber cement and timber cladding is often used with the iron to create a sympathetic blend of textures. Being of light weight construction, the steel and corrugated iron approach is relatively cheap and suitable for both flat and steeply inclined land. Interior cladding is most often gyprock but can be timber or even plywood. Butterfly roofs can also be employed quite successfully in this design. This style of house is suited for steel framed pole houses on steep slopes.

THE PAVILION STYLE HOMES

The Pavilion style house is characterized by a simple rectangular, box shaped volumetric style, open plan interior with glass replacing much of the wall space. Windows are often also steel framed. The transparency of the walls makes it well suited for blocks with privacy and/or views. Open patios are an integral part of living area, and like the rooms, they are orientated according to the aspect. Roofs are often low pitched roof and skillion. The style was a favorite of architect Harry Seidler who favoured walls of rendered brick however it is also well suited to a steel, fiber cement, and corrugated iron treatment. This approach often requires the thinness of steel framing to create the desired look.

THE QUEENSLANDER STYLE

The Queenslander style house is characterized by an all timber painted exterior, a timber stud frame, and a floor raised on piles for air flow in hot climate. They have wide verandahs (often the length of the house and enclosed by shutters, and roofs are gabled and corrugated iron. The street facing view is often symmetrical. The NSW Queenslander is often smaller than the original classic Queenslander and is less decorative - probably due to limited supply of delicate timber detail and trades-people to build them. It is sometimes combined with the Ranch style house.

Each of these styles has a different emphasis to practicality (physical needs, layout, and views), land and environmental considerations (structural requirements for foundations, design for weather protection) and aesthetic considerations (planar, volumetric, and sculptural form, emotional and spiritual qualities.) All of these requirements and qualities should be considered when designing a house.

Festivals and Events in Australia

Australian events are exciting and diverse and in Western Australia, there are plenty of unique, nature-based, sporting and cultural events to be experienced.

Many regional centres have their own distinct character and local traditions - sparking a number of unique country style festivities.

A Taste of Diverse Culture

The annual Perth International Arts Festival brings together a month-long calendar of local and international acts, showcasing almost every discipline of theatre and performance during the summer months.

Bridgetown Blues Festival, Bridgetown Regional centres have long-established traditions with events such as the York Jazz Festival, Blues at Bridgetown Festival and the annual Leeuwin Concert. These unique events attract entertainers from Australia and across the globe.

Summer's reliable weather also inspires some unusual outdoor Western Australian events such as Opera in the Park and the popular 'moonlight cinema' in Kings Park. Bring a deck chair, rug and picnic and relax in front of an outdoor cinema screen to watch new-release or classic movies.

Concerts are also popular during summer with many outdoor venues promoting musical styles such as 'jazz among the vines' at wineries throughout the State.

Nature's Calendar of Events

Western Australia's natural environment puts on some dramatic annual events of its own.

Staircase to the Moon, Broome The 'Staircase to the Moon' in Broome is a natural phenomenon which occurs for three nights each month between March and October.

The full moon rising over exposed mudflats at low tides creates a beautiful optical illusion of a staircase reaching to the moon.

The colourful coral spawn on the World Heritage Listed Ningaloo Reef each March, the annual arrival of the whale sharks near the reef and the turtle nesting season in Exmouth rank as some of the State's more spectacular natural events.

Get Active

The annual Cottesloe to Rottnest Island swim sees teams of swimmers take to the open ocean to battle tides and currents for an endurance swim of approximately 19 kilometres.

Then there's the Blackwood Marathon Relay in the South West region, which is made up of running, canoeing, swimming, equestrian and cycling legs. The relay involves both team and individual participants.

Something Different

There are many uniquely Western Australian events happening throughout the State.

Shinju Matsuri Festival, Broome

Some, like the Kulin Bush Races with its horse, camel, sheep and dog racing, epitomise the spirit and hospitality of rural Western Australia.

Broome's Shinju Matsuri or Festival of the Pearl was established to commemorate Japanese pearl divers. Dragon boat racing, a float parade through China Town and family mardi gras make for an exciting week.