Australian Stereotypes

[Alex]

I've got an English speech due in a couple of weeks, and this year I really don't want to leave it until the last minute, so I'm getting the background information early on.

Basically, my topic's on the way that Australia is stereotyped by the rest of the world, and how the rest of the world should be more openminded to us

This is where you guys come in. Being Australian, I don't have any stereotypes of our country. But since the majority of you are from somewhere else, you guys have probably heard some. *coughkangarooscough*

What stereotypes, or impressions did you (or still) have of Australia? They can be anything, such as the fact we apparently ride kangaroos to school (yes, I've heard that one), or that we all say "G'day, mate" when we see each other. (Also not true )

Thanks for whoever helps out ^_^

[Igg]

ride kangaroos to school?! Of course..

You win everything sports-wise. Case in point, cricket vs Bangladesh (my word) and Mr Lleyton Hewitt yesterday getting creamed by my lovely Roger.

Hats with corks on.

People saying 'fair dinkum'

You're all called Bruce and Sheila.

[Sock]

G'day mate, let's throw somethingoranother on the barbie and go play with some kangaroos?

Igg, Shiela was the name of some Australian character in some movie I watched. -nod-

[Igg]

Igg, Shiela was the name of some Australian character in some movie I watched. -nod-

Yeah, of course it was.

[Twisted Sanity]

I remember somebody once being amazed at the vast expases of rainforests and lack of desert in Australia... well there is desert, true, but it's not as if 99% of the country is made up of it.

Apparently, some people live under the impression that every city in Australia is a dusty old outback town, with Sydney being the only built up place.

[.:Compact Disk:.]

I used to think you all lived in the outback... basically I thought you were all like Crocodile Dundee...

[Twisted Sanity]

Point proven

[Christopher]

Let me go all out on New Zealand to Australian stereotypes combined with my own experiences.

- You are all criminals, you are all descended from convicts anyway.

#1. 600ml of sprite costs $3.50AUS at your airport and I can get 1.5L of it at the supermarket near mine for 99c NZ.

#2. The time I went to Australia before that my hotel was broken into by someone jimmying the deadbolts somehow, they made off with $300 of mine as well as my fathers wallet which was a Prada and worth more than its contents ($700 wallet) which included credit cards.

#3. Parking signs say 'minimum charge $20'.

- Your beer is foul and brewed by people whose IQ level has fallen below mammal standards, hence the name of one of em being XXXX.

- Australia is Americas lapdog

- Your produce is defective (compared to NZs), especially your exploding radiation food

[Medusa]

I'm Australian but I know my Grandmother who lives in Wales thought that we get regular mail-drops, we don't like have a post office or anything here in Perth. Other relatives thought the only airport was in Sydney and it was a common occurence to go driving through central Australia. I know from my discussions with a number of exchange students that they were originally under the impression that we would all be like Crocodile Dundee and Steve Irwin.

[Twisted Sanity]

Christopher, I am generally shocked and offended.... nah, just kidding.

Granted, many are decenants of convicts, but we're not all like that *steals your camera*

Sprite is the Australian holy drink. Of course it'd cost more. And if you think that's bad, you should see the price of our Coke!

And I can't really argue with that beer comment. Not after seeing that Carlton Beer ad on TV.

Made in a giant metal thing

Then driven around... by HORSES

Then drunken... in pubs.

Carlton... made from Beer

Or something to that extent

[Medusa]

Sprite is the Australian holy drink. Of course it'd cost more. And if you think that's bad, you should see the price of our Coke!

You've found expensive Coke? Granted, it is more expensive than Pepsi but I haven't been able to find a 600ml Coke for more than about $3AUS. The pricing of Coke is mind-boggling though, if I buy it from the vending machines it's $2, if I walk 10 meters and buy it from a food outlet its $2.40-$3 and if I walk down to the supermarket it is $2.40. Yeah, I can't stand Sprite, I tried drinking it a few times last year but I can't get over the feeling that there is a minty taste to it.

Twisted Sanity, I love the beer ad though, "Some things just don't need explaining!"

[mazil]

You're all called Bruce and Sheila.

Tehe, "sheila" is usually used as Aussie slang for a girl, I think... similarly to guys being called "blokes"

I've always wondered how Australians are viewed by other people... I tend to think we're quite easygoing and friendly, but that people might think of us as arrogant as well?

[Twisted Sanity]

I'm curious to see what others'll say. I might check back tommorow morning when this thing is at about 8 pages (:P) and see all the stereotypes we're given.

That beer ad though, was a classic. I find it second only to those Heinz 'Big and Chunky' ads. "Heinz Big an' Chunky: It'll make a man outta ya"

EDIT: Curiosly enough, I've never once heard anyone here call anything or anyone a Sheila, except when making fun of Aussie stereotypes. Bloke, I've heard often. Heck, I say it myself. But I've never heard anyone say Shiela.

[sparkygoesforth]

You all drink Fosters - it's Australian for beer, apparently. (I relaise that this isn't actually true, the Fosters we get over here is brewed in Newcastle or something daft, and most Australians couldn't give a Castlemaine XXXX for the stuff

Life in the suburbs is like Neighbours. Life everywhere else is lived in the Outback.( see: Flying Doctors)

Otherwise, plenty of Sheilas, Dunnies, Barbies, etc, etc...

Some things I think of when mentioning Australia: (don't know whether this helps)

Koalas, Kangaroos, Rolf Harris and his digeridoo, Crocodile Dundee / Steve Irwin, beating us at cricket all the time, Waltzing Matilda, driving around the outback in a Ute (think that's what they call 'em - a pickup truck), Ayers Rock, the Olympics closing ceremony, Sydney Opera House, Dame Edna Everidge, Clive James, Kylie/Danni.

[Rachel]

I one heard a story that a guy (an american i think) flew to perth, got in a taxi and asked to go to sydney.... (or it may have been sydney to perth). anyhoo, i dont think people realise that australia is the same size as America.

In my opinion you shorten all words possible and add an "o" to the end... eg Ambo, Freo, Garbo (i used to have a whole list, but i cant remember them now). oh, and alll names get shortened. But thats more of an impression i got when i lived there rather than a stereotype thingy.

Ok, i'm having trouble thinking of more stuff, because all of the stereotypes i had have either been beaten out of me or proved true.

I remember somebody once being amazed at the vast expases of rainforests and lack of desert in Australia... well there is desert, true, but it's not as if 99% of the country is made up of it.

I recon 99% of WA is desert... i mean perth is a big sandpit!!