Chapter 1
The great divide and the Barassi Line
Chapter 2
Aussie Rules and its high-flying origins
Chapter 3
Rugby and the ultimate state warfare
Chapter 4
Cricket and the ashes of national pride
Ch 1 · The great divide and the Barassi Line
matilda The Barassi Line maps Australia's distinct sports cultures, separating southern and western Australian Rules football from northeastern rugby codes.
Quiz
What is the name of the imaginary line that divides Australia's football preferences?
Quiz
Which sport dominates the states of Victoria and Western Australia, south and west of the Barassi Line?
BETA
matilda Time the oval ball's bounce to learn why sport is a national religion down under.
matilda The Barassi Line separates Australian rules football territory from rugby-dominated states.
Quiz
In which year did historian Ian Turner coin the term 'Barassi Line' during a memorial lecture?
Quiz
Which Australian city consciously rebranded itself as the nation's sporting capital in the 1980s?
Quiz
What did Sydney focus on developing in the 1980s while Melbourne was establishing its sports dominance?
Fun Fact
The Barassi Line: This imaginary line splits Australia's population almost perfectly in half, reflecting a deep cultural division in sports preferences.
matilda The Barassi Line
We're crossing the Barassi Line to win your heart, yeah we're coming for you!
Quiz
In what year was the Melbourne Storm rugby league club established to expand the sport into Victoria?
Quiz
Which AFL team relocated from South Melbourne to Sydney in 1982 to bridge the sporting divide?
Glossary
barassi line (noun)
An imaginary boundary dividing regions where Australian rules football is popular from those preferring rugby. Historian Ian Turner coined the term in 1978 to map Australia's distinct regional football preferences.
An imaginary boundary dividing regions where Australian rules football is popular from those preferring rugby. Historian Ian Turner coined the term in 1978 to map Australia's distinct regional football preferences.