Does Australia do miles or kilometers?

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Australia uses kilometers. The country officially adopted the metric system in 1974, converting road signs and speed limits from miles per hour to kilometers per hour. While some older maps or signage might show miles, kilometers are the standard unit of distance.
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Does Australia use miles or kilometers?

Okay, lemme tell ya 'bout Aussie measurements.

Australia uses kilometers, not miles. Totally swapped over back in July 1974.

It's kinda funny, I remember being a kid and seeing all the old miles per hour signs being replaced. Was a big deal, I guess! Changed everything from feet to meters and pounds to kilos too, pretty radical at the time.

Road signs, speed limits... all in km/h now. You'd be hard-pressed to find a mile anywhere official. A mate of mine from the US visited and kept getting tripped up.

Yeah, it was an official move, the country went metric. Like, proper. I think the idea was to align with the rest of the world, which, fair enough I suppose. I mean imagine the confusion if we didn't!

So yeah, kilometers are the thing down under. No miles here, mate. Only metric from now on.

Why doesn t the UK use kilometers?

Miles. That's why. Inertia. Habit.

  • Imperial system entrenched. Deep roots.
  • Switching costs high. Massive upheaval. Imagine retraining everyone.
  • National identity. Stubborn pride. A tiny island clinging to its yardsticks.

The argument for change? Pragmatism? International compatibility? Frankly, unnecessary complications.

My Uncle Bernard, a retired surveyor, vehemently opposes metrication. Says it's un-British. He's probably right. Or at least, comfortably entrenched in his conviction. He's got a lot of inch-based measuring tapes.

The UK uses miles, not kilometers. End of story. Or is it? Perhaps a future generation will see things differently. But not my generation. We prefer our pints and miles. We’re not changing.