A viral social media trend painting Australia as a transformative paradise of sun, sand, and personal glow-ups is facing a reality check from locals and Indigenous voices, adding crucial depth to the sunny online narrative.
The #AustraliaGlowUp phenomenon explained
Across TikTok and Instagram, the hashtags #AustraliaGlowUp and #AustraliaEffect are trending. The formula is consistent: a clip of a person looking bored or tired in a dimly lit room, followed by a radiant 'after' shot in brilliant Australian sunshine, often on a beach. The transformation is almost universally soundtracked by Don McLean's American Pie.
While the trend celebrates the perceived benefits of the Australian lifestyle, it has also spawned parodies. One creator documented an increasingly absurd blonde hairstyle, while another paired the iconic song with footage of a very real skin cancer removal from her face—a stark reminder that the sun-drenched life has serious downsides.
Aussies weigh in with a dose of sarcasm and reality
Australians themselves are now commenting on the trend, often with knowing humour. Expat Instagrammer @coreyyy.exe, based in Spain, offered a characteristically sardonic take.
"I love a glow up mate, but come talk to me once you've thrown up a few rissoles after a round of Goon of Fortune," he commented, referencing classic Aussie experiences. "Come talk to me when you've got a Sportsbet addiction. When you've had stage two melanoma. I want to see you throw down the Nutbush in double pluggers."
His remarks highlight a cultural gap between the curated social media ideal and the gritty, everyday realities of Australian life.
An Indigenous perspective on the 'effect'
The conversation took a more profound turn when Newcastle-based journalist Alex Morris, who wrote a Substack post titled "The Wonder of Down Under, Why I love the Lucky Country" coinciding with the trend, shared it online.
An Aboriginal man from Karuah, Tyson Jolly, reached out with a critical perspective largely absent from the viral videos. "In all references to the Australia Effect, no one references blackfullas," Jolly wrote.
He pointed out that the very environment celebrated in the trend—the weather, natural resources, beaches, and flora/fauna—was curated and managed by Indigenous peoples over 60,000 years. "Legit all the things that they enjoy about the Australia Effect has come at the expense of Black erasure," he stated, challenging the trend's superficial narrative.
This exchange underscores a complex national identity still in formation. As Morris notes, after 15 years in Australia, she remains a lover of the country "cancerous warts and all." The viral #AustraliaEffect trend, while often lighthearted, has inadvertently opened a door to deeper discussions about culture, history, and what it truly means to experience life Down Under. It appears there is still much for everyone, new arrivals and locals alike, to learn about this sunburnt country.
