Decade Study

The 1960s

Outline the main influences of

Britain and/or the USA on Australian
popular culture in the decade.
Specific examples are needed.

POPULAR CULTURE:
A contemporary lifestyle and items
that are well known and generally
accepted, cultural patterns that are
widespread within a population; also
called pop culture.
(dictionary.com)

Pop culture brought about new changes

and developments to
music,
fashion,
technology,
sport,
and the overall style of various items
and objects.

Before WWII Australia was under the

main influence of Britain, the mother
country.
Post-WWII, Australian society began to
drift towards the American lifestyle,
as the American pop culture seemed
to be more appealing.

New American ideals replaced some

of the British, causing Australia to
become Americanised.

Transport technology and

communications advanced at a rapid
speed, allowing American products
and ideas to effortlessly wing their
way over to Australian society.
Concepts such as materialism and
consumerism were also received well,
by Australians in this post-war decade.

FOOD:
The 1960's was the introduction to
many new products in the food
industry. Supermarkets, frozen foods,
fast food and chicken became popular
and more convenient.
The 1960s brought an era of mass
production within the food industry.

SUPERMARKETS became heavily

influenced by the American market.
Previous to this, Australian's would buy
their groceries from specialist vendors.

Supermarkets were the answer to

everything, anything anyone needed
was all under one roof.
Woolworths became one of
Australia's biggest retailers of fresh
foot and vegetables.

FROZEN FOOD was also brought over

from America.
By the 1960's NINE out of TEN
Australian homes at a fridge.
Frozen foods available
on the market included
fish fingers, vegetables, French fries, and
even whole dinners.

Early 1960's saw a large development in

battery chicken production.

Other convenience products such as

Glad-Wrap and plastic containers
grew in popularity.
Instant coffee made an appearance,
which threatened to kick tea off the
number one spot of being Australia's
national drink.

Many labour saving appliances such

as electric frying pans, electric
cake beaters and blenders were
produced.

MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT:

1960's dominated with American
and British music, mostly targeting
teenagers.
The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and
the Kinks were such British acts that
took the teenage population by
storm.

The local film industry struggled

post-WWII due to an influx of
Hollywood-produced films.
Despite films being shot in Australia
they were predominately financed
by the British and Americans, and
even starred foreign actors and
actresses.

In 1959, the ten most popular programs

on Australian television were all
American.
From 1956 to 1963, 83% of all content
broadcasted was American, the rest
British.
In the 1960s, the Australian government
imposed a local content quota to protect
the Australian television industry.

ICONS:
ELVIS PRESLEY, the King of
Rock'n'Roll provided to be a
tremendous American
influence upon Australian
teenagers. He popularised
the Rock'n'Roll genre and his
fashion and hairstyle left an
impact on Australia that
lasted for many years after
his era.

JEAN SHRIMPTON, an English

model, wore a skirt above the
knees in 1965, and though
the general public observed
this as scandalous the trend
slowly filtered into the styles
of the young women of
Australia.

In addition, this style represented the

revolution of the "rebellious teen".

MARILIYN MONROE also proved

herself to be an enormous influence
upon Australian young women's
style and beauty.

FASHION:
Britain had a large influence on
Australian fashion. This was achieved
partly through British music, which
infiltrated the Australian music charts
and stole the hearts of its youth.
Teenagers striving to emmulate these
stars adopted the wild fashions and
hairstyles of their idols.

The Beatle Wig became a huge hit.

Meanwhile, the other half of Australias

teens fell in love with the Rolling stones
and everything they stood for; freedom,
rebellion, sex and drugs. Grungy outfits
and long unkempt hair were all the rage.

THE BRITISH MOD MOVEMENT; refers to

a youth lifestyle that emerged from
London. Centred around London's
thriving pop music, art and fashion
scene, the mod lifestyle focused on
innovation and the 'new'.

Mod fashion was slim fitting and

featured bold geometric shapes.
Colour was also a key concern. In
contrast to fashion trends of the
past, these garments were massproduced and affordable.

SPORT:
Cricket and various types of rugby
are evidently of British influence
whereas sports like basketball
exhibits America's essential
ingredient in the recipe.

The Ashes was very popular in the

60s and was watched as a mode of
leisure.

If not for the post-WWII British and

American influence, Australia would
not be what it is today.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
http://www.kraft.com.au/Products/KRAFTHistory/DecadesOfHistory/1960d.htm
http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-14_u-189_t-507_c-1880/american-and-british-cultural-influence/nsw/history/australia-ssocial-and-cultural-history-in-post-war-period/social-and-cultural-features-of-the-1960s
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Woolworths

http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-14_u-189_t-507_c-1880/american-and-british-cultural-influence/nsw/history/australias-social-and-cultural-history-in-post-war-period/social-and-cultural-features-of-the-1960s
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE6DD113DF933A15750C0A96E948260
1960s leisure
http://images.google.comStory/SaturdayArvoFever/&usg=__7sFxZ8xeDMXKTXfAVvSeq8SVo5k=&h=234&w=300&sz=65&hl=en&start=11&um=1&tbni
d=UptE4XTjTugtcM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dleisure%2B1960%2Baustralia%2Bcricket
%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4SUNA_enAU310AU229