Australian cultural companionship, egalitarianism, authenticity, optimism, humility, informality, easy-going, common sense. Largely inspired by Aboriginal culture, Australia's arts are a big part of the national culture, both for citizens and for the world at large. From its charming accents to its love for wildlife, Australia's popular culture has been hugely successful at home and abroad, especially in films that show their ways of life. Major alpine ski resorts include Thredbo, Perisher and Charlotte Pass in New South Wales; Mount Hotham, Falls Creek and Mount Buller in Victoria and Mount Ben Lomond in Tasmania.
The first British colonists brought well-known meats and crops from Europe, which are still important in the Australian diet. They painted outdoors, like the French Impressionists, and sought to capture the intense light and unique colors of the Australian jungle. Contemporary Australian cuisine combines British and indigenous origins with Mediterranean and Asian influences. Other important architectural movements in Australian architecture include the Federation style in the early 20th century and the modern styles of the late 20th century, in which many old buildings were also demolished.
The skill set of Australian soccer players fits the model of the United States National Football League (NFL) bettors, and they stand out from their American peers because of their ability to face returning players. Rugby union was first played in Australia in the 1860s and is predominantly followed in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. The tradition and spirituality of Aboriginal Australians place great emphasis on the role of tribal elders in transmitting stories about dreams and skills and lessons for survival (such as hunting and tracking). It is believed that there were between 200 and 300 Australian Aboriginal languages at the time of first contact with Europeans, but only about 70 of them have survived and all but 20 are now in danger of extinction.
Australia's culture is primarily a Western culture, originally derived from Great Britain, but also influenced by the unique geography of Australia and the cultural contribution of Aboriginal people, Torres Strait Islanders, and other Australian peoples. Originating in Melbourne in the late 1850s and codified in 1859, this sport is the oldest football code in the world. Although English is the main language used in Australia, Australians have their own unique way of speaking, which includes a colorful vocabulary, an accent characterized by increasing intonation, a unique phonetic system and jargon (“Strine”), which can take a long time to get used to. Between 1866 and 1867, the outstanding cricketer and Australian football pioneer Tom Wills led an Aboriginal cricket team, which later toured England in 1868 under the captaincy of Charles Lawrence.
The vaudeville talents of Daryl Somers, Graham Kennedy, Don Lane and Bert Newton achieved popular success during the early years of Australian television. From a military point of view, Australians have been involved in numerous wars abroad, ranging from World War I to recent regional security missions, such as East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan.
