Australian Identity

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In what ways does the natural environment shape Australian identity?

Australia is a country renowned for its culture and landscape. It has a culture as vast and diverse as the country’s landscape. Despite multiculturalism playing a part in shaping Australian identity, the Australian identity, the Australian landscape has a stronger influence on its identity. The essay will first discuss the influence multiculturalism has on forming the Australian identity. It will go on to argue why and in what ways the beach is of significance on how people live and behave. Lastly, the essay will highlight the importance of the desert in shaping the Australian identity, with reference to Red Dog.

Multiculturalism is a term commonly used that recognises …show more content…
The majority of its towns and cities are located near the coastline. As a result, the beach has had a significant influence on people’s lifestyle, attitude towards life and the values and traits they hold. Australians generally have a down-to-earth, easy going leisure culture. They enjoy simple leisure activities coupled with outdoor living. Therefore, there is no surprise that they enjoy the beach as it perfectly complements the love of an outdoor lifestyle. Furthermore, there is a great display of a well-known Australian trait known as ‘mateship’ at the beach. This mateship is evident at Bondi beach (The Best of Bondi Rescue 2013) where people give up their time to volunteer to help at the beach. These people who volunteer to keep others safe at the beach are popularly known as lifeguards. People take an interest in helping others in distress unconditionally which transcribes back to the Australian value of having a cheerful readiness to help in times of adversity. Undoubtedly, many of the traits and values that make up the Australian identity have been reinforced thanks to the development of beach …show more content…
As portrayed in the film Red Dog (2011), it is a dry, hot and harsh environment to live in. Common traits possessed by the ‘typical’ Australian primarily developed from small, remote communities and towns that occupied the desert decades ago. For instance, mateship is a trait observed in Red Dog (2011) – a film set in the 1970’s in a remote mining town called Dampier in the Pilbara Desert. Due to the isolation of the town combined with the harshness of desert conditions, people in these communities acquired a sense/habit of looking out for one another. All in all, the desert is a symbolic landscape feature that has shaped Australian identity by promoting themes like ‘‘mateship, loyalty and respect’’ (Blagrove
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