Sport lovers

Sport is a common theme in Australian life. You can see the evidence of that in the high profile Australians take in the international arena---particularly noteworthy when considering the relatively small population. We play everything---from cricket, football (Rugby League, Rugby Union and Australian Rules are the 3 national codes played), soccer, netball and tennis, through to hockey, yachting, bocce, and even dragon boat racing.

Other more informal sporting events held around Australia provide some insight into the Aussie sense of humour. For example, the Henley-on-Todd Regatta is held every year in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. A parody of the famous English Henley-on-Thames Regatta, it takes place in a dry riverbed, with bottomless boats, using people power to race them. This event has actually been cancelled a couple of times in its long history because the river was flooded!

The Melbourne Cup is an annual horse race that has taken place in Melbourne, Victoria on the first Tuesday in November every year since 1861. A major Australian tradition, it is a nationally broadcast event during which Australians everywhere stop to watch---even those who usually don’t like horse racing! Around the country, people dress up and host Melbourne Cup lunches---because the event is as much about fashion as it is about horses.

For more information on sport in Australia, you may like to look at the Australian Sports Commission website.