If you're planning to visit Australia and are wondering how they do things ~properly~ Down Under and avoid some serious side-eye — then I'm glad you're here.
When travelling or moving to a new place, local intel is everything, so out of interest, I took to Reddit to see what top-tier advice Aussies were dishing out to newcomers and whether it was actually useful. As it turns out, we love to have a say and offered some quality tips when asked by Redditor u/skipthedamned, "What do you wish people knew about Australia before arriving?"
Here are some the best bits of advice:
1. "You can't drive from Sydney to Perth for the weekend."
2. "Beware of our sun. It’s not like your sun…"
3. "If someone is in need of help, stop and help them. Unlike other countries, first to help are not liable."
4. "When getting on a tram or a train, wait for other people to get off first."
5. "Don't swim at the beach if you have never been to a beach. I swear that is basically the whole premise of Bondi Rescue."
6. "Don’t go for a drive into the desert or go for a bush walk without the right preparations and equipment. You can die."
7. "You won't need a chequebook."
8. "We don't call it shrimp and we don't drink Fosters. You have a lot to answer for, Paul Hogan."
9. "Get to know local labour laws, so you don't get shafted with low wages and poor working conditions."
—u/giantpunda
10. "Deodorant is required everyday for both men and women. Maybe you never needed it before, maybe no one told you about it before. But in Australia, you need it. It will have an impact on you making friends or people even wanting to sit near you."
11. "Utes are not trucks."
12. "Walk on the left and don’t stand too close to people. Australia is big, there’s plenty of room to step back a few feet. Learn what a rip is and how to get out of it. Swim only between the flags. If you don't know how to swim, enjoy our lovely sand and scenery instead."
13. "Vegemite is applied super lightly, only a scraping. Don’t lather it on like it’s Nutella."
14. "You've got to learn to distinguish between the different 'cunts' you'll come across."
15. "We don't have a class system. Don't be rude or talk down to people just because you believe your job/class is higher than someone else's. Also, don't stare at people too long."
16. "Don't forget the seagulls. They’re not cute little things you’ve seen in cartoons. They will fight you for your food."
17. "Your flip-flops are our thongs!"
18. "We don't all eat smashed avocado and drink flat whites at a cafe on Bondi beach after our morning surf every day."
19. "Flick switches are completely opposite; a lobby is a foyer here; no concept of yielding on a red light; no tipping culture; cricket is way better than baseball; no In-N-Out, Chick-fil-A, Chilli’s, Red Lobster etc — oh, and Burger King is Hungry Jack's here."
20. "You call your mates cunt and cunts mate."
21. "You have to flag down the bus, or else it will not stop at your stop. Took me way too long to figure this out."
22. And finally: "Crocs are deadly. You will not win."
