We know the television and other media are misleading. Few people live the life of a sitcom. But we can find we have picked up many misconceptions about other countries because we forget where the ideas originally came from. Foreigners have a few misconceptions about Australia.
Australians live near the beach
Actually a half-truth – 80% of the county’s population is within an hour’s drive from the beach. But few live on beach front property, which is expensive.
It’s pretty hot some times of the year in much of Australia. But it gets pretty cold in many places at other times of the year. Some places are always cold, and we get snow too.
We’re all rowdy bronzed lifeguards
Maybe it’s because the rowdy people get most of the attention. Many of us are like this on New Year’s Eve, but not the rest of the time.
There are so many dangerous animals.
Well there are dangerous animals, but problems are rare. There are 1 or 2 crocodile and shark fatalities every year; more people die by drowning. No spider fatalities since the 1980s. Snakes cause a few problems.
Blame Skippy for this. We can go years without seeing a kangaroo. They aren’t supposed to be kept as pets. They are far away from most cities, except in the local zoos.
We have that broad Australian Accent
There are more than a few accents in Australia. Most politicians don’t speak with the broad accent, or half the actors. Some Australians speak more like the British, especially the tertiary educated.
We export the Fosters to other counties. The locals hardly see the stuff. You can work in a Pub and not see Fosters beer.
Sydney airport transfers aren’t hard to arrange over the internet or phone. If you’re visiting the country for the first time, ask the Airport shuttle driver for a few good tips about what to see.
