From ‘no hat, no play’ to Healthy Harold: The TikTok videos unlocking key Aussie childhood memories

There are some things in life that only Aussies can understand, and a popular trend on TikTok has harnessed the idea.

Tapping into our nostalgia, the videos remind us of the weird and wonderful foods, activities and memories we experience growing up in Australia. 

The aptly captioned clips of ‘things only Aussies will understand’ or ‘only Aussies will understand’ dive into the traits that make Australia unique, uncovering our childhood favourites, some of which are sadly no longer around.

Watch the video above.

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The videos have engaged thousands of people, with some even attracting millions. One shared by the account @australia..only now has close to eight million views.  

So, according to TikTok, what are some of the things only Australians can relate to?

Fairy bread

Growing up, no children’s birthday party was complete without this colourful, sweet treat.

Simple in its conception with only three ingredients of bread, butter and hundreds and thousands, it was a crowd favourite and, for good reason, still remains popular today.

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https://www.tiktok.com/@abbeylouuu/video/7013595150790167809 ‘No hat, no play’

Every Australian kid can remember the devastation when you went to get your hat out of your bag, only to remember you had either left it at home or lost it. Although you would try to cheat the rules, a teacher would come and find you, ultimately relegating you to the undercover area.

The most excruciating part of it all was watching everyone have fun in the playground while you missed out. Let’s just say, you never forgot your hat after that.

Harold the giraffe

Who would have thought a giant giraffe in the back of a van could have been one of our fondest memories from primary school?

For many, Healthy Harold was our introduction to the impact drugs and alcohol could have on our bodies and we learnt the importance of making smart decisions.

Harold also taught us about ‘sometimes foods’ and, most importantly, a visit from him meant we missed class – perhaps this is why everyone loved him so much.

Bunnings sausage sizzles

Whether you had just finished up your weekend morning sport or the family was picking up some supplies, nothing was better than getting a sausage from Bunnings.

The combination of a perfectly cooked sausage, soft white bread, tomato sauce, and if you were adventurous, some barbequed onion, made it a weekend delight.

The lack of shoes on hot pavements

Somehow there was never enough time to put shoes on as a kid, so instead we would deal with the often blistering heat of a path in the middle of summer.

https://www.tiktok.com/@australia..only/video/7097777048269114626

Or, if we were smart enough, we would spray water in front of us to cool down patches as we went along.

Why? No one really knows. 

Canteen lunch orders

Before online ordering systems were introduced, everyone used to hand-write their lunch orders on a brown paper bag, with their name and class up the top.

It was easily the most exciting moment of the day when the orders were delivered for lunch – a beautiful throwback to simpler times. 

These are just some of the many distinctive features from Australian childhoods.

Growing up with spiders, Vegemite and our beloved Sunnyboys, learning compass directions from the acronym ‘Never Eat Soggy Weetbix’ and playing Heads Down, Thumbs Up on a Friday afternoon in primary school are also notable mentions. 

https://www.tiktok.com/@cozzau/video/6829966930661707013

It’s fair to say that while some of the videos take being an Aussie to the extreme, the trends allow us to look back and remember where some of our fondest memories originate from.

The videos show something that every Australian can relate to, making it a great way to take a trip down memory lane. 

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