Did you know?

There is nothing more Australian than a barbie. In 1984, Crocodile Dundee (Paul Hogan) told the world to come over to the land Down Under for a fair dinkum holiday. And offered to chuck another shrimp on the barbie. He meant prawn but wasn’t sure the Americans would get it.

Find out the all important rules of the Australian barbie and a whole lot more in the Foodstuff chapter of Becoming more Australian. Read the first pages of the book here.

Did you know?

Contrary to popular belief, flies did not arrive with the first colonists in the 18th century. They have always been here. What did however, arrive with the first colonists was shit. Lots and lots of it. In fact, they brought over cows and sheep. Five cows, a couple of bulls and 44 sheep to be exact. And the flies loved it. Unlike the dry kangaroo and emu droppings, these animals provided the perfect, excessively abundant, moist dung in which flies could multiply in their millions.

Find out more about the Aussie salute and a host of promising but ultimately futile ways to deal with flies in the Everyday chapter of Becoming more Australian.
Read the first pages of the book here.

Did you know?

Aussie blokes wear thongs. On their feet. No, not g-strings. Rubber sandals. Flip-flops. Thongs are the quintessential Australian attire. Yet, in their modern form, thongs most probably originated in New Zealand, where they are affectionately called Jandals (J-sandals). And let’s not forget the Japanese who invented the woven version about 2 000 years ago. To be fair, they might as well be called Endals since it seems the Egyptians were wearing leather ones while building the pyramids.

Find out more about how to wear thongs to the beach, to pubs and barbeques, to work, to weddings, on trains and buses and pretty much everywhere in between in the Everyday chapter of Becoming more Australian. Read the first pages of the book here.

Did you know?

Known as the coat hanger, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is arguably Australia’s most famous icon and Sydney’s most photographed landmark. It is the only bridge to be opened twice at its official ceremony in 1932 and the only bridge to have been painted by Crocodile Dundee star, Paul Hogan. Really.

Find out more about how to photograph, film, hike and even have a picnic with 6000 other people on the Sydney Harbour Bridge in The land Down Under chapter of Becoming more Australian. Read the first pages of the book here.

Did you know?

Football is the national Australian sporting fixation. Once you start looking further into the matter, things get terribly confusing. For instance, the historic 2005 footy final between the Sydney Swans and the West Coast Eagles ended 8.10.58 to 7.12.54. So, who won? Well, the Swans scored 8 goals and 10 behinds, adding up to a total of 58 points. The Eagles score of 7 goals and 12 behinds equates to a 54 point tally. The Sydney Swans defeated the West Coast Eagles by 4 points. Because each goal is worth 6 points and each behind 1 point. How come? Never mind.

Find out more about balls, rules and regulations in the Sports chapter of Becoming more Australian. Read the first pages of the book here.

Did you know?

Banjo Peterson’s bush ballad Waltzing Matilda is the unofficial national anthem of Australia.

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled
'You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me'

Confusing? Well, Matilda is not a woman. It’s a bag. A billabong is a watering hole. Billy is not a man. It’s a kettle. Alas, it still doesn’t really make sense, even when you do understand the words.

Find out more about the song about a thief that ends with three policemen watching him commit suicide and other Aussie ballads in The land Down Under chapter of Becoming more Australian. Read the first pages of the book here.