Sport and recreation
NOT IN THE TEST This part is worth reading, but the citizenship test never asks about it.
Many Australians love sport and Australian sportspeople have achieved impressive results at an international level.
Throughout our history, sport has both characterised and united the Australian people. From early settlement, sport provided an escape from the realities of a harsh existence. Even during wartime, members of the Australian Defence Force organised sporting competitions to help relieve the stress of the battleground.
Sport also provides a common ground that allows both players and spectators to feel included and a part of something that is important to Australian society. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and migrant Australians are among the country’s most successful sportspeople.
Many Australians participate in team sports such as cricket, basketball, netball and hockey. The football codes of soccer, rugby league, rugby union and the uniquely Australian game of Australian Rules Football (‘Aussie Rules’) are very popular sports in Australia to play and watch. Swimming, tennis, athletics, golf, cycling, bushwalking, surfing and skiing are also popular recreational activities.
Australia is especially proud of its international success in the game of cricket. Australian and English cricket teams have been intense rivals since the late 19th century.
The Melbourne Cup, ‘the race that stops the nation’, is one of the biggest horse races in the world. The first Melbourne Cup was held in 1861. The Melbourne Cup is held on the first Tuesday in November, and has been a public holiday in Victoria since 1877.
Sir Donald Bradman (1908–2001)
Sir Donald Bradman, the greatest cricket batsmen of all-time, is an Australian sporting legend. He was raised in Bowral, New South Wales, and played his first game of cricket for the Australian team in 1928.
He was amazingly quick on his feet. On his first tour of England in 1930, he broke nearly all the batting records. By the age of 21, he was already an Australian legend. On his final tour in 1948, his team became known as ‘The Invincibles’, as they did not lose a single match they played against England.
From Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond, the official booklet