Australia
Waiting for the first voice
تا مرد سخن نگفته باشد / عیب و هنرش نهفته باشد
Until a man has spoken, his faults and his gifts both stay hidden.
No advice from here yet. Know an elder from this country? Your recording could be the first: 2–3 minutes on a phone.
Did you know
The dingo fence runs for more than 5,600 km, making it the longest fence in the world. (source)
Elders in numbers
National NAIDOC Week 2023, celebrating Indigenous cultures, was held under the theme “For Our Elders”. (source)
- of people are 65 or older
- 18.1%
- people aged 65 or older
- 5M
- will be 65 or older in 2050
- 23.9%
- is how long people live after 60, on average
- 25.6 years
- of people 65+ live alone
- 23.9%
- women 29.1%, men 18%
- of people 65+ live in collective quarters: care homes, hospitals, hostels and the like
- 7.6%
Sources: World Bank, 2025; World Bank projection for 2050; WHO, 2023; UN, 2021; UN, 2016 census
Languages
148 languages, 139 of them endangered
- AlawaCritically endangered
- AmiCritically endangered
- AmurdagCritically endangered
- AntakarinyaCritically endangered
- BardiCritically endangered
- BunubaCritically endangered
- DarlingCritically endangered
- DayiCritically endangered
- DhalandjiCritically endangered
- DjabugayCritically endangered
- DjauanCritically endangered
- DyirbalCritically endangered
Show all 148
- GamilaraayCritically endangered
- GaradjariCritically endangered
- GuragoneCritically endangered
- KayardildCritically endangered
- KijaCritically endangered
- KokataCritically endangered
- KunjenCritically endangered
- KurramaCritically endangered
- Lamu-LamuCritically endangered
- LaragiyaCritically endangered
- LardilCritically endangered
- Malak-MalakCritically endangered
- MangarayiCritically endangered
- MaridjabinCritically endangered
- MaringarrCritically endangered
- MariyediCritically endangered
- MarraCritically endangered
- MarranjCritically endangered
- MarriammuCritically endangered
- MarrithiyelCritically endangered
- MiriwoongCritically endangered
- MudburaCritically endangered
- NabooCritically endangered
- NgandiCritically endangered
- NgarinyinCritically endangered
- NhandaCritically endangered
- NyamalCritically endangered
- TjupanyCritically endangered
- UmpilaCritically endangered
- Wakka WakkaCritically endangered
- WambayaCritically endangered
- WangganguruCritically endangered
- WiradjuriCritically endangered
- YangathimriCritically endangered
- YankunytjatjaraCritically endangered
- YinhawangkaCritically endangered
- DiyariSeverely endangered
- DjinbaSeverely endangered
- GarawaSeverely endangered
- GuniyandiSeverely endangered
- Guugu YimithirrSeverely endangered
- JaminjungSeverely endangered
- JinguluSeverely endangered
- Kalau Lagau YaSeverely endangered
- Koko-BeraSeverely endangered
- KumbainggarSeverely endangered
- Kuuku Ya'uSeverely endangered
- MangarlaSeverely endangered
- Middle Clarence BandjalangSeverely endangered
- Miriwoong Sign LanguageSeverely endangered
- NakkaraSeverely endangered
- NarunggaSeverely endangered
- Neo-MandaicSeverely endangered
- NgardiSeverely endangered
- NgarlumaSeverely endangered
- NyiginaSeverely endangered
- NyiyaparliSeverely endangered
- PanyjimaSeverely endangered
- RembarungaSeverely endangered
- UnserdeutschSeverely endangered
- WagaydySeverely endangered
- WagimanSeverely endangered
- WajarriSeverely endangered
- WanmanSeverely endangered
- WardamanSeverely endangered
- WarlmanpaSeverely endangered
- WarumunguSeverely endangered
- Wik-IiyanhSeverely endangered
- Wik-Me'anhaSeverely endangered
- Wik-NgatharrSeverely endangered
- WikngencheraSeverely endangered
- WunambalSeverely endangered
- YanyuwaSeverely endangered
- YidinySeverely endangered
- YinjibarndiSeverely endangered
- Yir-YorontSeverely endangered
- YulparirraSeverely endangered
- AdnyamathanhaDefinitely endangered
- AnindilyakwaDefinitely endangered
- AnmatyerreDefinitely endangered
- AuslanDefinitely endangered
- BurarraDefinitely endangered
- Cook Islands MaoriDefinitely endangered
- DhanguDefinitely endangered
- DhuwalDefinitely endangered
- DjambarrpuynguDefinitely endangered
- DjaruDefinitely endangered
- DjeebbanaDefinitely endangered
- DjinangDefinitely endangered
- Eastern ArrernteDefinitely endangered
- GumatjDefinitely endangered
- GunwingguDefinitely endangered
- GupapuynguDefinitely endangered
- GurinjiDefinitely endangered
- Guugu YalandjiDefinitely endangered
- IwaidjaDefinitely endangered
- KaytetyeDefinitely endangered
- Kuuk ThaayorreDefinitely endangered
- Martu WangkaDefinitely endangered
- MeriamDefinitely endangered
- Murrinh-pathaDefinitely endangered
- NgaanyatjarraDefinitely endangered
- Ngan’gityemerriDefinitely endangered
- NgarinmanDefinitely endangered
- NhanguDefinitely endangered
- NunggubuyuDefinitely endangered
- NyangumartaDefinitely endangered
- PintiiniDefinitely endangered
- PintupiDefinitely endangered
- PitkernDefinitely endangered
- RitharnguDefinitely endangered
- TiwiDefinitely endangered
- WalmajarriDefinitely endangered
- WarlpiriDefinitely endangered
- Western ArrarntaDefinitely endangered
- Wik-MungkanDefinitely endangered
- Wik-NgathanDefinitely endangered
- Yolŋu Sign LanguageDefinitely endangered
- AlyawarrVulnerable
- Australian Aboriginal sign languagesVulnerable
- Cocos MalayVulnerable
- KukatjaVulnerable
- MaungVulnerable
- PiedmonteseVulnerable
- PitjantjatjaraVulnerable
- Scottish CantVulnerable
- Torres Strait CreoleVulnerable
- Angloromani
- Eastern Yiddish
- English
- Fiji Hindi
- Gurindji Kriol
- Kriol
- Far North Queensland Indigenous Sign Language
- Light Warlpiri
- Queensland Kanaka English
Languages and their status: Glottolog v5.3, CC BY 4.0. Names: Wikidata.
Know an elder from this country?
Record their advice in their native language: 2–3 minutes on a phone.
Record your elder