The region spans one of the most diverse ranges of peoples on earth, from the world's oldest continuous cultures to societies shaped by waves of migration, colonisation, and globalisation.
Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders have lived on the Australian continent for at least 65,000 years, making theirs among the oldest living cultures in human history. Despite the violence of British colonisation, Aboriginal culture has survived and in many places is thriving — particularly in remote communities of the Northern Territory, Western Australia, and South Australia. Country and connection to land remain central. Visitors to areas like Arnhem Land or the Kimberley will find that local Aboriginal communities often lead cultural tours, and that this context adds enormously to understanding the landscape.
Modern Australia is one of the most multicultural societies on earth. Post-war migration from Europe, followed by large-scale arrivals from Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific, has made Australian cities — particularly Sydney and Melbourne — genuinely cosmopolitan. Chinese, Vietnamese, Lebanese, Greek, and Indian communities are well established, and their influence shows in the food, the street life, and the character of different urban neighbourhoods.
New Zealand is home to the Maori, Polynesian people who settled the islands around 700 years ago. Maori culture is actively present in New Zealand life — the Maori language (te reo Maori) has official status and is taught in schools, haka performance is a genuine living tradition, and marae (meeting grounds) remain important community institutions. New Zealand has also received significant migration from across the Pacific, and Auckland has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world.
Across the Pacific islands, culture is shaped by deep communal ties, extended family structures, and the church, which plays a central role in most Pacific societies. Visitors who treat local communities with respect — covering up appropriately, accepting invitations to share meals, being quiet on Sundays — will be welcomed warmly. Turning up as an observer and consumer without that awareness will close doors that would otherwise be open.