What are some great (and not so great) Australian inventions?

June 27, 2007 8:23 PM

What are some great (and not so great) Australian inventions?

I know about drive in bottle shops, Chiko Rolls and the Black Box, but can anyone please help me out with some more please?

posted by sam and rufus to society & culture (24 comments total)

There's also the electric guitar, and the process of putting bubbles in beer.
posted by hammurderer at 8:36 PM on June 27, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Hills Hoist clothes line, Stobie poles, Vegemite :-)

A quick google turned up this Page
posted by eeno at 8:48 PM on June 27, 2007

Australian Inventions

Australian Inventions

Australian Inventions

Australian Inventions

Did you think to Google first?
posted by furtive at 8:49 PM on June 27, 2007

I did Google it actually, thank you though. I was after more interesting than the normal cannonistic fare. Thanks for the links, but I've seen them all.
posted by sam and rufus at 8:57 PM on June 27, 2007

Also I think the electric guitar and the process of putting bubbles in beer are only Australian in the movie Young Einstein!
posted by sam and rufus at 9:00 PM on June 27, 2007

Spicy potato wedges with sour cream and sweet chili. That is absolutely my favorite Australian invention.
posted by web-goddess at 9:03 PM on June 27, 2007

The Hills Hoist, Victa lawnmower, McFarlane Burnet's work on virology & development of egg-grown influenza vaccines, and John Cade's discovery of lithium salts as treatment for bipolar disorders?

Warren & Marshall's development of a diagnostic test & cure for stomach ulcers?
posted by Pinback at 9:03 PM on June 27, 2007

"Spicy potato wedges with sour cream and sweet chili" can't be Australian, surely?
posted by sam and rufus at 9:13 PM on June 27, 2007

Wine in a box.
posted by zamboni at 9:23 PM on June 27, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

The rotary hoe, or Howard Rotavator.
posted by arha at 9:25 PM on June 27, 2007

Holy crap, the Australians invented wine in a box?
posted by jtfowl0 at 9:32 PM on June 27, 2007

The Pie Floater is indisputably Australian. However, the origin of the Pavlova is hotly disputed.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 9:35 PM on June 27, 2007

I'd never encountered the spicy wedges combo before in either the US or UK. (In fact, I'd never encountered Thai sweet chili sauce at all before moving to Australia.) So to my mind, it's definitely Australian.

I thought I read somewhere that those little reflective thingies they put down the middle of roads were invented by an Australian...
posted by web-goddess at 9:53 PM on June 27, 2007

AAS is a pretty important science one.
posted by Serial Killer Slumber Party at 10:06 PM on June 27, 2007

Sorry Web-goddess, but cat's eyes were invented by Percy Shaw of Halifax, Yorkshire in England.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat's_eye_(road)
posted by sam and rufus at 10:20 PM on June 27, 2007

Penicillin
posted by cholly at 11:17 PM on June 27, 2007

Oh! And Two Up =]
posted by cholly at 11:19 PM on June 27, 2007

Webgoddess: They're called cat's eyes, and I think you're right.
posted by pompomtom at 11:36 PM on June 27, 2007

The Fairlight - the first sampler was invented in Australia.
posted by bunglin jones at 12:14 AM on June 28, 2007

The Fairlight

Ah, bunglin jones, you beat me to it. I still want one of those...
posted by Life at Boulton Wynfevers at 3:39 AM on June 28, 2007

Has no one mentioned the boomerang?
posted by popcassady at 4:16 AM on June 28, 2007

The HPV vaccine was developed in the University of Queensland.

Queensland University of Technology researchers have developed a chlamydia vaccine.
posted by divabat at 5:10 AM on June 28, 2007

I've seen thai sweet chilli sauce all over the place here in toronto. i think they even have it as a chip flavour.
posted by sid at 7:54 AM on June 28, 2007

Chicken salt

Potato peeler , well a type of potato peeler

Sunshine harvester (not as cool as it sounds, sadly)

Dual flush toilets
posted by backOfYourMind at 8:12 PM on June 28, 2007