"Americans' generally superficial familiarity with the Australian continent stems mostly from recent films. Particular images stand out: the Outback, sheep shearing, surfing, the Sydney Opera House, Aborigines, and the Walkabout. Yet Europeans arrived in the late 18th century, followed by convict transports from England that started the colonization. Today Australia remains a land of immigrants, and its ethnically diverse population has increased dramatically since World War II." "Students and other interested readers finally have a solid resource that describes the breadth of the evolving modern Australia society. Culture and Customs of Australia is the first general introduction to the rugged continent, written by an Australian novelist with particular insight. Clancy focuses on the Anglo-Irish and more recent immigrants, but the Aboriginal context is also presented."--BOOK JACKET.