Over 300 ancestries were separately identified in the 2016 Census. The most commonly reported ancestries were English (36%) and Australian (34%). A further six of the leading ten ancestries reflected a European heritage. The two remaining ancestries in the top 10 were Chinese (5.6%) and Indian (4.6%).

The culture of Australia is primarily a Western culture, derived from Britain but also influenced by the unique geography of Australia, the cultural input of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and other Australian people. The British colonization of Australia began in 1788, and waves of multi-ethnic migration followed.

270 ethnic groups

1. Chicken Parmigiana. This classic Aussie chicken dish – with roots in Italian-American cooking – is a staple offering on pretty much every pub menu in the country.

Australia is a melting pot of culture and tradition. Meaning, its cuisine draws upon Indigenous, European and Asian flavours and cooking techniques. First, Australian food has its Indigenous community and natural landscape to thank for meats like fish, emu, kangaroo and wallaby.

Australians tend to eat three meals a day: Breakfast – eaten in the morning is either light and cold (cereal, toast, coffee) or heavy and hot (bacon, eggs, sausages, fried tomato) Lunch – eaten around 12 – 2pm is usually a light meal such as a sandwich, or salad.

Among the native fruits, eleven prominent native species have been commercially produced in Australia including bush tomato, Davidson’s plum, desert lime, finger lime, Kakadu plum, lemon aspen, muntries, quandong, Tasmanian pepper berry, and Illawarra plum.

bananas

So what is the most popular vegetable in Australia?

• tomatoes – 92 per cent.
• potatoes – 83 per cent.
• broccoli – 80 per cent.
• cauliflower – 79 per cent.
• celery – 78 per cent.
• capsicums – 76 per cent.
• white onion – 76 per cent.
• cabbage – 74 per cent.

Tomatoes

One of spring’s plentiful veggies is broccoli and, in my opinion, next to the potato it is the most versatile vegetable available. Raw or cooked, in casseroles, soups or salads, this veggie is always delicious. And, broccoli isn’t short on the nutrition.

Potatoes