Australian culture

The culture of modern Australia is mainly a blend of Western cultures, but is also derived from Aboriginal cultures, the ethics of immigrants who arrived for the country’s gold rushes of the 1850’s and immigrations following World War II. The result was the melting pot that Australia is today.

Australian culture was most influenced by British and European cultures and, more recently, by that of the United States. Other influences have resulted from Australia’s natural environment, its settler history, indigeneous native people and geographical isolation from other western nations and nearby Asia.

Australian demographics indicate that it is a highly-urbanized population. Most Australians reside in coastal areas, while the Outback is very sparsely populated. The coastal cities are melting pots of diverse cultures that have been pervaded by the influence of southern European communities. English and non-English speaking immigrants who arrived in Australia after World War II from England, Scotland, Germany, Greece, Ireland and the Netherlands. Those arriving from the Middle East, Eastern Asia and Southeast Asia also had a major impact.

Australian arts such as music, painting, film, dance, theatre and crafts embody vitality and vigor and are globally recognized for their excellence. There are numerous art galleries, theatres, ballet, a strong national opera company and excellent symphony orchestras in Melbourne and Sydney. Sydney’s opera house has gained wide attention for its unique architecture. Other examples of stand-out Australian architecture include the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne and Parliament House in Canberra.

Painting and sculpture has thrived in Australia since the first days of European settlement. Many artists have earned international recognition as have some indigeneous artists.

There is a long history of film production in Australia as well. Since nearly all Australian feature films were purchased by American distribution companies, they have all but vanished from the screens in their own country. The 1980s were the peak years for the Australian cinema thanks to highly successful productions like Crocodile Dundee and Mad Max. The indigeneous film industry is continuing to produce some films each year too, and many American producers have moved their projects to Australia since Fox head Rupert Murdoch elected to move the studios to Sydney in order to reap the benefits of costs well below those in the states.

Australia is also well respected for it’s cuisine. Numerous fine restaurants are in the major cities like Melbourne and Sydney as well as in smaller coastal towns.

Lawrence