The culture of Australia

Australia's culture is predominantly Western, having originated in the United Kingdom but also drawing on its distinct topography and the cultural contributions of its Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and other Australian populations. Following the start of British colonization of Australia in 1788, there were waves of multiethnic migration. The predominance of the English language, the existence of a democratic system of government modeled after Westminster government, parliamentarianism, and constitutional monarchy, American constitutionalist and federalist traditions, and Christianity as the predominant religion are all indications of a significant Anglo-Celtic heritage.

There is evidence of Aboriginal art in Australia that goes back at least 30,000 years, and it is thought that the first Aboriginal people arrived in Australia 60,000 years ago. The first British prisoners arrived at Sydney Cove in 1788, and several states and territories were once penal colonies. Tales of lawbreakers such as the bushranger Ned Kelly have persisted in Australian literature, film, and song. Wealth and new social conflicts, such as the miners' Eureka Stockade insurrection, were brought to Australia by the gold rushes of the 1850s. Before the majority of other Western countries, the colonies established rights for women and workers as well as elected parliaments.

The act of federation in 1901 marked the pinnacle of a developing national consciousness that had grown over the second part of the 1800s, as evidenced by the writings and paintings of the Heidelberg School, including those of Banjo Paterson, Henry Lawson, and Dorothea Mackellar. Australia's national identity was significantly influenced by both World Wars: the ANZAC legend was introduced during World War I, and the country's primary ally shifted from Britain to the United States during World War II. 6.5 million migrants from 200 countries introduced enormous new diversity after the second world war. The varied cuisine, way of life, and cultural customs of immigrants have been assimilated into Australian society over time.