Australian Contributions We Can’t Do Without

By Aydrea Walden, Dec 07, 2011 in Offbeat, Pop Culture

Australia’s reputation for being the laid-back land of kangaroos and barbecues belies its importance and prominence on the world’s stage – considering it ranks in the world’s top 15 countries for size, economy, military spending, and highest average per capita income. In the Aussie series The Inland Sea: An Australian Documentary, journalist Steinar Ellingson, visual artist Dida Sundet, camera man Ben Hall, and Best Boy Eirik Laugerud travel 16,000 kms through the land Down Under to discover how remote communities in this bustling country mesh with their neighbors. A look at this travel documentary gives you an insider’s viewpoint on the scope and richness of Australia’s culture.

For a more comprehensive look at Australia’s legacy, take a look at these ten contributions.

The Inland Sea – Dive Into The Inland Seas

Latex Gloves

We can thank Oz for that iconic snapping sound that signifies a potentially uncomfortable examination is about to occur. The disposable latex glove was invented and first mass-produced by Ansell Rubber Company in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1905, the company mostly produced balloons and condoms until 1925, when it began producing household gloves. By 1964, the disposable latex glove was introduced, forever changing the way doctors prepped for surgery and ensuring better health for millions around the world.

Safer Democracy

When people vote for local or national office, they do so in private — away from the intimidating glares of others. Their votes are secret, and they are not obligated to share them with anyone. This was not always the case. Until the mid-1800s, people voted in full view of others, which made voter intimidation rampant and elections often unfair, at best.

In 1855, Australian Henry Chapman changed all this when he developed a secret ballot system that became known as the Australian Ballot. In less than 50 years, this type of voting had spread from Oz to New Zealand to the United Kingdom to the United States.

Cate Blanchett

This Melbourne native is known for playing classic and beloved characters from history and fiction. She’s been internationally lauded for her performance as Elizabeth I of England in Elizabeth as well as her role as Galadriel in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies. Often compared to Meryl Streep for her success at playing such high-profile characters, Blanchett holds two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two BAFTAS, two Golden Globes, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and an Academy Award.

Google Maps

A team of developers in Sydney brought the ubiquitous directions resource to life after it was invented by Danish-Australian brothers, Lars and Jens Rasmussen.

Sharp-Edged Weapons

Australian Aborigines are believed to be some of the most technologically advanced people of their time. To prove it, they produced what is currently the oldest tool that features a sharpened ground edge. This ax is believed to be about 35,000 years old and marks a pivotal change in history: early man’s evolution from using simple stones to fashioning weapons.

Didgeridoo

With a sound as distinctive and recognizable as any orchestra instrument, the didgeridoo was first used about 2,000 years ago in Australia.

Entertaining Safety Demonstrations (aka The Fun Yellow Plane Slide)

The brightly-colored inflatable slide that attaches to airplanes (and offers no feeling of comfort to the average passenger during the thought of an impending crash) was invented in 1965 by Qantas’s then-Operations Safety Superintendent, Jack Grant. The automatic slides are now standard safety features on most aircrafts.

Rupert Murdoch

Melbourne-born Murdoch began his career as a media mogul at age 21, shortly after his father died. Rupert started by expanding his father’s newspapers then moved on to dominating several other media formats. His primary strategies – increasing the amount of scandal, sport coverage, and inflamatory headlines – are practices now standard for the business.

Though recently plagued by scandal, Murdoch’s influence will not soon be undone. According to Forbes, Murdoch’s net worth of $7.6 billion makes him the 117th richest person in the world. As CEO of Newscorp, the second largest media conglomerate in the world, he also holds the title of 13th most powerful person in the world.

Speedos

These iconic, very short, very tight swim trunks got their start in Australia. Its company, originally called MacRae and Company Hosiery after founder Alexander MacRae, first pushed societal boundaries in the 1930s by creating a racer-back style swimsuit for women. This first model was, expectedly, accused of (and sometimes banned for) “showing too much shoulder.” They followed that up with an equally scandalous line of swimwear for men that omitted the previously standard shirt top. In the late 1940s, the now-named Speedo Knitting Mills saw its bikinis banned from beaches by Australian beach inspectors. Nonetheless, the company steadily gained as much fame as it did notoriety as Olympic swimmers adopted the brand.

Today, when someone uses the term “speedo,” they’re typically referring to the barely-there swim trunks for men. However, that line of clothing makes up only 2% of the company’s total sales.

Wolverine

Sydney-born Hugh Jackman took on the role of Marvel’s Wolverine in 1999’s X-Men – creating a new brand of superhero for today’s audiences. Prior to playing a notoriously tough superhero, Jackman had enjoyed a successful career in musical theater – playing lead roles in large productions of Beauty and the Beast, Sunset Boulevard, and Oklahoma!. Since X-Men, Jackman’s films have included Kate & Leopold, Swordfish, Van Helsing, The Prestige, and the other films in the X-Men franchise: X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and X-Men: First Class. Versatile, rugged, and quite a dancer, Jackman is Australia’s one-man-show.

The Inland Sea – Aldinga Arts EcoVillage

The Inland Sea – Coober Pedy or Desert Nightmare

Watch more episodes of Australian Road Trip Series THE INLAND SEA

Aydrea Walden ten Bosch, a former news reporter, has also written for Nickelodeon, NBC/Universal, Hawaii Film Partners, Highlander Films, the Now Write! Screenwriting book series, Improv Olympic, The Second City Los Angeles and Disney. She regularly performs sketch and improv comedy and runs the satirical blog, The Oreo Experience, about her life and times as a super white black person.