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Articles on Australian culture

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Along the Stuart Highway in the Northern Territory, giant termite mounds have been bestowed with human clothes and accessories. Author provided

What the termite mound ‘snowmen’ of the NT can tell us about human nature

Around 300 termite mounds dressed as people can be found along the Stuart Highway in the Northern Territory. They sport all manner of accessories from bras to hard hats to beer cans.
You might not know the name, but you would recognise the songs. Mojo was the advertising agency behind such classics as You Ought to be Congratulated. Screenshot/YouTube

Mojo: the rise and fall of an Australian advertising empire

The ABC documentary, How Australia Got Its Mojo, purported to tell the story of advertising agency Mojo. But the real story is more complex.
Through Paul Hogan and Crocodile Dundee we can learn a lot about the enduring myth of the Aussie Bloke. Paramount

Paul Hogan and the myth of the white Aussie bloke

The mythical Australian bloke is white, straight, and able-bodied – he’s Crocodile Dundee. But where does this legend come from, and what is his future?
The income gap between men and women is wider in the arts than the average gap across all industries in Australia. This is especially so for female writers, visual artists and musicians. Dmytro Zinkevych/shutterstock

The gender pay gap is wider in the arts than in other industries

The average Australian female artist is better educated than her male counterpart but earns significantly less than him, new research shows. And artists’ incomes are declining in real terms.
A scene from Bangarra Dance Theatre’s Lore: the oldest continuing culture in the world resonates with overseas audiences. Jeff Tan/Newzulu

‘Australia has no culture’: changing the mindset of the cringe

Why do students still describe Australia as a ‘young’ country lacking culture? Are our universities doing enough to to teach Australian films, artwork and books?
The Pool: Architecture, Culture and Identity, exhibition by Aileen Sage Architects (Isabelle Tolandand Amelia Holliday) with Michelle Tabet, commissioned for the Australian Pavilion by the Australian Institute of Architects for the Venice Biennale of Architecture 2016. Brett Boardman

From segregation to celebration: the public pool in Australian culture

Swimming pools are much more than holes in the ground - they are often beautifully designed, as a new exhibition at the NGV shows. They also document Australia’s history of racism and sexism, and gradual relaxation of social mores.

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