australia, beach culture, community service, sports, surf lifesaving, water safety

How Surf Lifesaving Shaped Australia’s Sporting Identity

Australia is known for its beautiful coastline and lively beach culture. The history and development of surf lifesaving are deeply rooted in the country’s sporting character. This piece details the history of this famous water sports movement, including its cultural significance, core values, and lasting legacy. Early origins and development As surf lifesaving grew and ...

Viena Abdon

A surf lifesaving tower.

Solving the Supermarket: Why Coles Just Hired U.S. Defense Contractor Palantir

What does the Australian supermarket chain Coles have in common with the CIA? As of last week, both are clients of Palantir Technologies, a U.S. tech company “focused on creating the world’s best user experience for working with data.” In a three-year deal, Coles plans to deploy Palantir’s tools across more than 840 supermarkets to ...

Troy Oakes

A Coles supermarket.

People Once Lived in a Vast Region in Northwestern Australia – and It Had an Inland Sea

For much of the 65,000 years of Australia’s human history, the now-submerged northwest continental shelf connected the Kimberley and western Arnhem Land. This vast, habitable realm covered nearly 390,000 square kilometers, an area one-and-a-half times larger than New Zealand is today. It was likely a single cultural zone, with similarities in ground stone-axe technology, styles ...

Troy Oakes

Two people on a large beach.

Top 10 Most Beautiful Theaters in Australia

Apart from being a place for dramatic performances, theaters are a cultural and architectural gem. They are known as cultural landmarks, boasting stunning designs and astounding aesthetics. These are Australia’s theatrical treasures. The 10 best Australian theaters 1. Sydney Opera House Location: Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia On the top of the list is ...

Arianne Ayson

The Sydney Opera House.

Giant Eagles and Scavenging Vultures Shared the Skies of Ancient Australia

Today, Australia is home to 17 species of hawks and eagles. But the fossil record shows some other, rather special raptors were present in the relatively recent past. Tens of thousands of years ago, Australia was home to species such as Dynatoaetus gaffae, the largest eagle ever to have lived in Australia, and Cryptogyps lacertosus, ...

Troy Oakes

Eagles and vultures in ancient Australia.

The Pros and Cons of a National Digital ID Scheme That Is Being Proposed

In 2018-19, identity crime directly and indirectly cost Australia an estimated A$3.1 billion. To address such costs, the federal government is proposing a national digital identity scheme that will let people prove their identity without having to share documents such as their passport, driver’s license, or Medicare card. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher opened consultations for the ...

Troy Oakes

A national digital identity scheme.