Australian Beach Culture

Although, in terms of land mass, Australia is significant in size, its population is really quite small. Due to the harsh, dry inland environment, much of Australia's 20 million or so citizens live around the fringes - close to the coast, the beach and the water. The major cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are on the eastern seaboard, while Perth is many thousands of kilometers away in the west, but also close to the coast. In fact, the only major inland city is Alice Springs, home to Uluru (Ayers Rock).

Beaches are free to visit, and most are regularly cleaned by local councils. Thus, many Australians spend hours each summer swimming, surfing, sailing and simply hanging out at their local shores. Keep in mind, if you are visiting, some of the more popular inner city beaches in places like St. Kilda can become very crowded on a hot summer day. It is also worth remembering that rainy days will make the Australian beaches less like those on your brochure, as storm run-off drains directly to the coast.

Australia is also the home of the Surf Lifesaver, a hardy breed of individuals who spend their summers patrolling the surf to keep local and visiting swimmers safe. Each year at beaches across the country, surf lifesavers carry out rescues and offer first aid and help to those who need it. The culture of surf lifesaving began in the early 1900's when the first surf reel was introduced to safely guide rescuer and swimmer back to the beach. By the year 2005, there were 305 surf lifesaving clubs around Australia.

Most surf lifesavers are volunteers. Estimates put the number of volunteer hours over the year at around 1.4 million. If these lifesavers were not around, it is likely around 500 people would drown at Australian beaches in the course of a year. When you first arrive at a beach, be sure to look out for the red and yellow flags which indicate that a beach is patrolled by life savers. If you swim between the flags and follow any instructions you are given, your chances of enjoying your swim in complete safety are greatly increased.

All along the coast, there are tiny townships where the focal point is the local beach. These places exist as a flashback to a simpler time, when towns were just a strip of shops running perpendicular to the single road along the beach front. Many offer walking tracks along the beach front, and are ideal places to stroll and enjoy the long hot summer.

Most see a dramatic influx of visitors during summer, many of whom spend weeks at a time in camping grounds, holiday flats and houses, and self-contained accommodation. At times, it can be a challenge to find a parking space or buy fish and chips at the local store, but most people seem happy to put up with the 'shoulder to shoulder' element in order to enjoy the quieter moments on the beach and sitting around with friends and family.

Lorne, Rye and Torquay in Victoria, Trinity Beach, Arlie Beach and Mission Beach in Far North Queensland, and Eden in Central New South Wales are all small townships where the population grows exponentially during summer, before reverting to quiet country hamlets in the colder months.

Australians seem to have a slang word for just about anything. Maybe it comes from having such a laid back, relaxed approach to life! You'll notice that many Australian slang words (also known by some as idioms or colloquialisms) tend to have a long vowel sound 'ee' on the end. Some colloquialisms are very regional, and many only be known by small, discrete groups of people sharing a common cultural group or geographic location. Others are more widely used and will tend to be familiar to most Australians. Here's a few you may not have heard before:

surfie - someone who surfs. But being a surfie is much more than a hobby - it is a way of life!

esky - this is a large insulated box used to keep drinks cold. An essential for long hot days at the beach.

boardies - long shorts worn for swimming. And a better look than the alternative budgie smugglers!

rashy - a protective top, designed to give protection from the sun and from stinging jellyfish in the tropical waters up north.

sunnies - sunglasses, another summer essential. Without these, your eyes will fry in the summer sunshine.

snags - another word for sausages, although no one can really explain why this is so!

barbie - no it's not a doll, it's a hot plate used outside for cooking food.

hanging out - relaxing, not doing much at all.

bathers or swimmers - swimsuits. In our house, this is an often discussed battle ground between the states. If you are born north of the Murray River, you say 'swimmers'. But us true Victorians still cling to the slightly illogical 'bathers'. My daughter argues that we swim in them, so why would they not be swimmers? Can't really argue that one I guess!

Please note that you may hear some derogatory terms used as Australian slang, although none of the above words would fall into that category. Probably like most countries around the world, there are terms which are seen as being more and less acceptable when referring to people in particular. Be sure to avoid words such as 'Abo' for example, as this would be particularly offensive if used to refer to someone who was an Australian Aboriginal person.

Now that you've learned more about the basics of beach culture in Australia, you'll know what to expect on your next trip. For those who have visited some townships, use the comments below to tell us tips from your Australian beach experiences!