This year the summer Olympics are being held in Sydney Australia, a place that is hardly the Aboriginal Outback that many of us picture when we think of going "Down Under." Sydney is a coastal city with a contemporary, international flair. But what fun would an Australian Olympics theme party be if it didn't celebrate the colorful heritage of this small continent? So call up your favorite 'sheilas' and 'blokes' and invite them over to a laid back, dress casual, Australian Outback buffet.
As you gather props for your party, be sure to draw upon the distinctive cultural icons of this country and go a little Crocodile Dundee crazy. Here are some of the classic Australian images you might use in your party.
- Kangaroos and Wallabies
- Crocodiles
- Koalas
- Akubra hat
- Ayer's Rock
For the animal images you could get posters, stuffed animals or plastic toys. Use them to decorate your room, or scatter them across your tables or even floors in the case of the crocodiles. If you're the crafty type, create machetes out of cardboard and foil to give to your guests as favors. I would suggest purchasing an Akubra hat for everyone coming to your party, except that these hats are pretty expensive. You'll have to decide how many of these will fit into your budget.
If you have several TV's in your home, tune one to the Olympics games, and screen Crocodile Dundee on the other. For party music I recommend playing a mix of the most famous Australian bands. You can pick from these groups that have been popular on the world music scene over the last three decades: AC/DC (70's), INXS (80's), Savage Garden (more recently). There are also several bands that are very popular in Australia but haven't made as big a splash internationally including Powderfinger and The Whitlams.
If you prefer a quieter party, there is a different way to set the mood. You could purchase a tape of Australian nature sounds to play as the backdrop for your party.
