Australian Etiquette

• Australians are renowned for their relaxed and carefree attitude towards life, and this is very evident in their social conventions. Greetings are informal (the classic G'day is a favourite!) and to the point - they are known for not beating around the bush.
• Australians have a very good sense of humour, which often involves teasing and jibing. This is not to be taken offensively, but rather as a compliment to your character.
• Australian is a society that prides itself on its equality. Everyone is on the same level, and everybody is treated as an equal. No status is bestowed on anyone as a result of their financial situation, religion, gender or race. Although the differences are recognised and celebrated, they do not place any one person above the next - this is a very important aspect of Australian society.
• If you find yourself drinking with a group of Australians, it is customary to 'shout a round', which means buying a round of drinks for the people you are with. Everyone else will do it, and it is important in reinforcing the equal footing amongst everyone in the group.
• As in most societies, if there is a number of people waiting for the same service, then it is customary to form a queue on a first come first served basis. Pushing to the front of any queue is considered exceptionally bad manners.
• When driving your campervan through the outback or through the countryside where there are very few vehicles, cars that are passing in opposite directions normally acknowledge each other with a wave. Australians are a friendly people who encourage all forms of social interaction, even if it is just a wave from a vehicle.