Things about Australia that shock first-time visitors

AUSTRALIA drew a whopping 6.6 million international visitors in the last financial year. Here’s what surprised them the most.

Roger, a male red kangaroo, hugs a bunny he received as an Easter gift from a fan in England. MUST CREDIT Picture: Kangaroo Sanctuary Alice Springs

OI MATE how about you chuck on your boardies and we mosey down to the beach for a barbie?

There’s a lot of things that surprise tourists when they visit Australia — and for many it’s how some Australians speak.

“It is a great misconception by foreigners such as myself that Australians speak English,” wrote Apollo Voulgaris on the question-and-answer website Quora.

“Not being a native English-speaker but having studied the language for over 20 years, I travelled down under foolishly thinking I would have no problem communicating. Well, I was wrong.

“Firstly, there is a vast number of phrases Aussies use that no one has ever heard before. So, between ’chucking a wobbly’ and ‘having a cuppa in the arvo’, it usually takes me some 10 days to start being able to fully comprehend what these blokes are saying.”

Here are a bunch of things Quroa users said surprised them during their visit to Australia:

OUR WEIRD ANIMALS

Australia is infamous for its dangerous animals and with so many toxic, venomous and toothy beasts it’s a wonder any one wants to visit.

It can be hard to find a place to swim in many parts of Northern Australia. (Flickr Michael Coghlan)

One Quora user described Australia’s collection of animals as plain “weird”: “Perhaps, intense also. From unique animals to very unique deaths,” he wrote.

Roger, a male red kangaroo, hugs a bunny he received as an Easter gift from a fan English fan.

But it’s not the big, scary creatures that cause the most deaths, naturalist Steve Backshall, author of Venom: a Study of Toxins in the Natural World, told The Telegraph.

The most dangerous animals to humans in Australia are horses and honeybees, he said.

“Almost no-one dies from spider, snake, croc and shark bites on the whole continent. With a little common sense, no one visiting Oz should be unduly worried about the wildlife; quite the opposite, it is a great reason to visit.”

Tasmanian devils have sharp powerful claws and a backward facing pouch. (Flickr SJ Bennett)

TOILETS GALORE

You might not notice them — but tourists are relieved to find Australia has large collection of public toilets.

“The plentiful, free public toilets around the place, even in department stores,” said Trevor Best said on Quora.

This dunny has seen better days. (Flickr)

SHOPPING WITHOUT SHOES

Many tourists are shocked that people in Australia will walk around completely barefoot — no shoes, no sandals, not even a pair of thongs.

“It’s not uncommon to see Australians walking around without shoes. I’m not talking about walking around at home without shoes, I’m talking about at shopping malls and even in the town centre. Not everyone does this but if you look around carefully, especially in the summer you will spot one or two,” said Kidd Stuart on Quora.

No need for shoes when you’re out and about. (Flickr Nicola Boullosa)

GREAT INDIAN FOOD

Today, thanks also to increased immigration, Indian food is found all around Australia.

“Unlike my experience in Chicago (and also what I hear about the UK) where I dreaded the Indian restaurants, Sydney was more like Silicon Valley with the exact same taste and presentation that you would find in India,” said Sid Jagannathan on Quora.

It’s not hard to track down authentic Indian food in Australian cities. (Flickr Eliazar Parra Cardenas)

THE SHOCKING PRICES

Sure it’s unique and beautiful place to visit, but it’s no secret Australia is also a premium destination that comes with a serious price tag.

“$4 is the price for 600ml of Coke from any convenience store, $6.50 is a ‘cheap’ beer from a pub, and real estate is quite costly too,” said David Sickmiller.

THAT AUSSIES EAT RICE

“Australians eat rice and eat chilli, this always seems to surprise Indonesians,” said Quora user Dave Hodgkin, an Australian living in Indonesia.

WE’RE NOT ALL LIKE THE AUSSIES IN BALI

When the loutish behaviour of Australians out for a good time peaks nightly in Kuta, you couldn’t blame the Balinese for writing off Australians as obnoxious drunks with questionable morals.

“Indonesians often comment that most Australians are surprisingly not like the Aussies they see in Bali,” said Dave Hodgkin. He adds: “Many are also struck by how Australia is NOT all free sex and drunken debauchery.”

THAT WE WORK HARD AND PLAY HARD

Many visitors expect Australians to be laid-back and therefore not extremely hard workers.

“Most Indonesians are also struck by how much harder life is in Australia than they imagined, how hard people work to pay rent, etc, but also how hard they play, drink, laugh, study,” said Dave Hodgkin.