You probably know a little bit about Australia and it’s people from watching the Crocodile Hunter on television! Both Australia and Canada have vast and barren areas of land, extremes in temperature, and histories shaped by the British colonial experience. Australia's relationship with Canada goes as far back as the 18th century, as many of the sailors and soldiers who founded Australia in 1788 were previously stationed in Nova Scotia. Due to their British roots, Australians in Canada are often misidentified as British. However, Australians will firmly assert that they have developed their own culture based on rural tradition reflected in much of their art, literature and music.
Although most Australians and many Canadians share a common British cultural heritage, the proportion of the Australian population that is of British decent is greater than that found in Canada. Nonetheless, the close similarities between the two countries have provided new Australian immigrants with an easy transition to Canadian society.
The 2001 census states that there are approximately 4,470 Australians living in Alberta at present, although they do not generally form separate communities and the majority reside in Calgary or Edmonton. A large proportion of those who came to the province after 1960 were professionals, teachers in particular, nurses and academics.
Australians in Alberta have been continuously active in a wide range of sports and recreation activities, including skiing, soccer, harness racing, golf, rowing, squash, cricket, tennis, rugby and swimming. Many Australian professional tennis players, golfers, squash players and motor-racers visit Alberta and other Canadian provinces for competitions. Australian symphony orchestras, rock groups, ballet companies and opera stars frequently delight audiences across the country.
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