The next Australia

Emily Millane

“Despite being home to one of the oldest cultures in the world, Australia likes to think of itself as being young. When Australians travel overseas they marvel at ‘the history’ of the places they visit: the architecture, the art, and the customs that were all there before Australia was colonised, before it became a nation.

Our culture and our environment serve to mutually reinforce Australia’s image as a youthful society. Sportspeople, with their youthful energy, are revered. Our art is modern and often subversive, our beaches celebrate the culture of youth, sun and fun. These are, of course, generalisations which say more about popular mythology than how people experience day-to-day life as Australians. But myths have a way of sticking …”