I have no problem with Australians, I think they're mostly great. Occasionally you'll get an obnoxious one who insists on inserting "gaol" into a conversation just to kick off an insanely stupid side thread.

I have to say, as an Australian, your reaction is making me want to use the spelling more often. We're generally culturally averse to people taking themselves too seriously!

I did a tour in OIF with Aussie air force troops. I love that about Aussie culture. That and the drinking :-D

Also Australian, would never have thought to spell it like "gaol" these days but seconding this.

Tbf as a Kiwi (currently in the UK) I see a lot of Australians, when interacting with other cultures, kick up their Australian-ness as much as they can; strengthening the accent, swearing way, _way_ more than they usually would, using "mate" "bloody" etc way more than they do just speaking to me.

I mean when two Australasians speak with each other in a foreign place I definitely hear the accent rise up a bit more outta the both of us but Aussies are something else when it comes to putting on a show, especially when Americans are involved (in my experience).

More likely a dropbear.