There are many stereotypes which surround Australia, some of which are a little closer to life Down Under than others. Is it really a land of sunny beaches, barbeques every day, and kangaroos hopping around everywhere?
Austravel set out to find out how accurate the average UK citizen’s perception of the country actually is, and whether an idealised paradise of blue skies, surf boards and cuddly koalas are the main reason why it is such a popular destination choice, for backpackers and holidaymakers alike. Did you know that over 680,000 Brits visit Australia each year?!
Using an independent survey company, Austravel tested UK residents’ knowledge of Australia, focusing on climate, wildlife and geography. Although kangaroos are as Australian as fish and chips are British, 22% of those surveyed did not know that they were Australia’s national animal. Many were savvy on Australia’s climate, with 66% of those involved knowing that Australia’s winter falls during the months of UK’s summer.
While 62% of those surveyed managed to name Australia’s capital city as Canberra, if respondents had checked their spelling, this figure would have been much higher. Answers given included Camberetta, Cambera, Cambebra and Cambar – one respondent even replied honestly with ‘don’t know how to spell it’.
However, almost a quarter of people surveyed thought that Sydney was the capital city – a very common misconception. The results of the survey show that, despite our love for Australia, UK residents could definitely do with brushing up on their general knowledge of the world’s smallest continent.
So now it’s time to see how well you match up. Take 5 minutes to test your Australian trivia with our fun Austrivia Quiz and find out whether you’re an Aussie expert or if your knowledge of the Land Down Under is quite what it should be…