Waltzing Mathilda! 🇦🇺 - 2026 - Words, Colours and Notes

With this post I am celebrating 700 visitors to my blog from Australia. This milestone refers to people outside the WordPress platform who access the site through other means, such as browser searches or links from other applications, such as Facebook or Twitter. Surprisingly for me, with this achievement I have also reached all eight Australian states, a historical first for an anglophone country outside the United States of America. A big thank you to all these Australian readers who have been following my site and have shown their appreciation for the topics I have covered. Australia is the in the top 15 countries that follow my blog, with a 1.6% of the global traffic.

For me, this is a great achievement, especially since I started publishing in English from the very beginning on my blog but I have not featured specifically topics about the Southern Hemisphere. I have not been able to achieve such extensive coverage in other English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom or Canada. I take these statistics from the Flag Counter web application, which provides automated information about website visitors.

Australia, the world’s sixth-largest country, has a population of approximately 26 million people. The majority reside in urban areas, with Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane being the largest cities. The population is ethnically diverse, with significant immigration from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Around 3.8% of Australians identify as Indigenous. English is the primary language, though over 300 languages are spoken. Christianity remains the dominant religion, but secularism is rising. The median age is about 38 years, with a high life expectancy of around 83 years. Australia has a strong economy, driven by resources, services, and technology sectors.

New South Wales (NSW) is Australia’s most populous state, home to around 8.3 million people, with nearly two-thirds residing in Greater Sydney. The population is highly diverse, with significant communities of Chinese, Indian, and Middle Eastern heritage. English is the dominant language, though many speak Mandarin, Arabic, and Vietnamese. The state has a median age of about 38 years and a high life expectancy. Indigenous Australians make up about 3.4% of the population. NSW has a strong economy driven by finance, technology, tourism, and agriculture. Urban areas dominate, but regional centers like Newcastle and Wollongong also play key roles.

Henry Lawson, born on June 17, 1867, near Grenfell, New South Wales, was a renowned Australian writer and poet. He is celebrated for his vivid portrayals of life in the Australian Outback, often focusing on the hardships and realities of bush life. Alongside Banjo Paterson, Lawson is one of Australia’s most iconic literary figures of the colonial era. His works, such as While the Billy Boils, are considered classics of Australian literature, reflecting his nationalist and republican views. Despite struggles with alcoholism and mental illness, Lawson remains a national icon, honored with a state funeral after his death in 1922. His short stories are being presented in my blog as part of world class contribution to the genre.

Victoria, Australia’s second‑most populous state, is home to over 6.5 million residents, making it the country’s most densely populated state. Its population is almost evenly split between men and women, with a median age of 38, reflecting a relatively young and economically active demographic. Melbourne, the capital, anchors the state’s growth as a multicultural hub, with a significant proportion of residents born overseas and vibrant communities representing Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Household structures are diverse, with an average of 2.5 people per dwelling, and the state shows steady population growth driven by migration, education, and employment opportunities.

Victoria’s cultural output is equally notable. In literature, Helen Garner, born in Geelong, stands out as one of Australia’s most acclaimed contemporary writers, known for her sharp observational prose. In music, Nick Cave, raised in rural Victoria, has achieved global recognition for his influential career spanning post‑punk, alternative rock, and film soundtracks. In visual arts, Tom Roberts, a beloved Melbourne-based artist, contributed profoundly to Australia’s impressionist movement with his depiction of Australian landscapes and promoting the establishment of the Australian National Portrait Gallery. Together, these figures embody Victoria’s rich creative legacy and its ongoing contribution to global culture.

Over time I have tried to cover most of the topics on which I write in English and below there is a list with links to the most popular articles in English and relevant from an Australian perspective, under the six main topics I cover in my blog. I hope you find these links useful.

Summary page on Australian culture in this blog

Perhaps this is also an opportunity to thank all the readers of other English-speaking countries who follow me with so much affection. Among them readers from the United States of America, England, Canada, India and Ireland.