Why go
Listen for Australian vocabulary and pronunciation while remembering that English is only one part of the picture. In places where an Indigenous language is named, learn and use the local name as presented there; different communities have their own languages and relationships to Country.
The full story
Australian English has distinctive pronunciation, vocabulary and spelling, so familiar words may sound or appear different to visitors who learnt another variety of English. Mandarin, Italian, Arabic, Cantonese, Greek and Vietnamese are among languages spoken in Australian homes, reflecting many histories of migration. Auslan is an Australian sign language. Indigenous languages predate British colonisation and are not variants of one common tongue. Many were spoken across the continent and Torres Strait, and their survival and use vary by community. Current use varies across places and generations. When a museum, cultural centre or local sign gives a community or language name, use that specific name rather than a generic label. It connects words to a particular place and people, and avoids treating all Indigenous knowledge as interchangeable. For everyday travel, English will usually be the shared language, while local language names can deepen your understanding of a place.