Things tourists might wonder at if they visit Australia
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325818)
Rockingham, Australia
April 3, 2018 9:04am CST
For reasons I won’t go into here, I have become connected to a few new sites. One, called Oldish, has short, pithy articles on a variety of subjects. Today they offered a short list of things that surprise tourists who come to Australia on holiday.
Because I live here, I have no idea what people find strange although I do know we have a few terms that others aren’t familiar with.
Firstly, many tourists don’t expect it to get as cold as it does here. Australia isn’t all beaches and deserts and we actually get more snow than Switzerland.
Secondly, our land is immense and what might look like a short distance on the map can actually take a long time. We’ve had music groups who have set themselves an impossible itinerary simply because they didn’t realise how far apart the towns can be.
Thirdly, alcohol laws are much stricter than you might imagine. Drinking in a public place is as a general rule strictly forbidden.
Fourthly, there isn’t a standard accent. The accent and some terms will vary a little from state to state.
Fifthly, our shops and restaurants tend to close relatively early. Part of the reason for this is the fact that we don’t have a long twilight. Once the sun starts to set it doesn’t hang around but slips below the horizon quite quickly.
And finally, Australia doesn’t have a tipping culture. You might find a jar for tips on the reception counter as you leave a restaurant but generally we don’t tip. All staff are on a minimum wage which is supposed to be enough to live on without relying on tips.
So, if you’re not Australian, do any of these facts surprise you?
36 people like this
37 responses
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
3 Apr 18
I knew you had some cold as there are the "Snowy Mountains" but in general one does only think of the hot outback. You are a giant island and I know distances are vast and travel long from my parents' experiences there. Openly drinking on the street is frowned upon here (except for New Orleans where anything goes) so I would say drinking restricted to bars is the same as your pubs. You all sound alike to my ears and didn't know there are subtle differences. I have been compiling a list of Aussie slang (rego is registration, ambos are ambulances, firies are firemen, pressie is present, choccie is chocolate, breakie is breakfast, shottie is shotgun, sunnies are sunglasses etc plus the proverbial reckon and sort it).
9 people like this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Apr 18
There is a YouTube clip about speaking 'strine' but I think they go overboard with some of their slang. But then, I don't mix so much with young people so perhaps it's authentic. Someone queried 'doona' the other day (duvet) which I didn't think was particularly Aussie but it seems it is.
2 people like this
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
3 Apr 18
I am always fascinated with Australia and it has always been a dream to go there. I wont be surprised if Australia has stricter laws. I watched this show on tv before where Tourists going to Australia are checked by Immigration officers before allowing them to get to Australia. Many wete denied access and was deported. But still, I am excited to go there. 
5 people like this
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
4 Apr 18
@JudyEv yes, you are right. I would have to follow if I want to live peacefully in Australia or else my dream will be crushed.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Apr 18
For years Australia was portrayed as hot and dry - all outback - and of course a lot of it is hot and dry but parts are also cold although it's all relative isn't it? Since being on myLot and learning more about snow and US winters I hesitate to write about 'cold' anymore. 
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Apr 18
@TheHorse Mount Kosciuszko (Kos-ee-oss-ko) is the highest peak at 7310ft above sea level. The mountainous regions in NSW get cold and parts of Tasmania can be cold too being further south. Much of the agricultural areas get frosts through winter but pretty much the only snow is in the Snowy Mountains.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
3 Apr 18
No standard accent here in the US either. About tipping, is the minimum wage really a living wage? I saw something by a server in the UK that said there, at any rate, the minimum is very poor. There is quite a movement among fast food workers here in the US to reach $15 an hour and around Seattle, WA, they do earn that.
Drinking is allowed in restaurants?
3 people like this
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 Apr 18
@JamesHxstatic I hope some regional differences remain.
3 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
4 Apr 18
@TheHorse Perhaps so, I know our regional accents are disappearing.
3 people like this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
3 Apr 18
Oh yeah, I admit, I thought you had summer all year long. I did know that it's a huge country, and the accent thing makes sense, though no tipping is surprising. I wish we would adopt there here where it is customary to tip just about everything.
3 people like this
@snowy22315 (169973)
• United States
3 Apr 18
Yeah, definitely the snowfall thing. I always thought of Australia as being mostly tropical, or at least semi tropical.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (169973)
• United States
4 Apr 18
@JudyEv So, did you get your writing done last night?
2 people like this
@allen0187 (58444)
• Philippines
4 Apr 18
I'm surprised about the accent. I've always thought that Australians have one accent.
2 people like this
@allknowing (130064)
• India
3 Apr 18
Is it normal for Australia to have showers unannounced. I experienced that.
2 people like this
@allknowing (130064)
• India
4 Apr 18
@JudyEv What else will shower in Australia?
That was in Queensland
That was in Queensland2 people like this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Apr 18
@allknowing I was thinking people might have showers unannounced!
1 person likes this
.@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Apr 18
I think for years the outback, sun, heat, CROCODILES, took precedence over everything else but being so large, there is a range of climates from rainforest to cool temperate. Not many places in Australia have snow. My area is said to have a Mediterranean climate, much like France.
took precedence over everything else but being so large, there is a range of climates from rainforest to cool temperate. Not many places in Australia have snow. My area is said to have a Mediterranean climate, much like France.2 people like this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
3 Apr 18
Well, given the relative dimensions (Tasmania is bigger than Switzerland!), I'd say many snowy places get more snow than Switzerland, even given that if you hammered Switzerland flat it'd probably cover an area the size of Ireland...
2 people like this
@Hannihar (129482)
• Israel
4 Apr 18
@JudyEv
Judy, thank you for telling us what to expect if we want to visit Australia. There was a time in my life that I did but since I came to live in Israel I only traveled outside of the country twice and if I do any traveling it is inside the country. I do not want to feel like I am stuck anywhere else and find it hard to get back here.
2 people like this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
4 Apr 18
Surprise, surprise, surprise.... Yes, a very informative and interesting look at Australian culture and custom. I kind of like the tip custom unless, of course, I was a waiter or bartender
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Apr 18
@dgobucks226 It's always good to have someone to blame. lol
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
6 Apr 18
@JudyEv The U.S. is big on rewarding customer service. The practice of tipping began in England in the 17th century. So, I guess we have them to blame, lol.
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
3 Apr 18
Never thought of Australia as getting cold. It does look large on a map. Would Love tp visit there and see the Kangaroos and Koalas.
2 people like this
@zebra2222 (5269)
• United States
4 Apr 18
Thanks for some facts that I didn't know about Australia.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Apr 18
You're welcome. It can be surprising what differences there are.
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
3 Apr 18
I did not realize restaurants would close early since I assumed you dined late like they do in Europe. But the rest is pretty much what I expected.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
3 Apr 18
Yes. If restaurant people are paid minimum wage, why is there not a tipping culture? I make decent money, and ENJOY tipping someone 20% when they're just starting out in their careers. .
Also, if Australia is big, would the quickness of the sunset depend on whether you're in the North or the South?
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Apr 18
That's good in a way. Now you know a bit more about us.
