Sun and sea. Egg and toast. Kylie Minogue and shimmery shorts. Some combos are just iconic. Here, we take a look at some of the killer combos that rule Australia.
Killer Combo: Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban
Nicole: an Oscar-winning acting legend. Keith: a Grammy-winning country star. While they both ply their trade mostly in the United States of America, this killer combo of muso and actor, looks and even more looks, still remain quintessentially Aussie. We know Nicole from her star turns in Moulin Rouge, Eyes Wide Shut, The Hours and the TV show Big Little Lies, but she got her start in a remake of the Australian holiday classic Bush Christmas in 1983. She went on to feature in TV series Five Mile Creek. In 1990, she got her big Hollywood break by starring in Days of Thunder alongside her then-boyfriend (and future ex-husband) Tom Cruise. Keith inherited his love for country music from his parents, and released his debut album in 1990. By 1992, he'd moved to the home of country music, Nashville, Tennessee, to work as a songwriter and session musician. By the end of that decade, he released his debut in the USA and, before you can say "howdy", he was named Entertainer of The Year at the 2001 Country Music Awards.
Killer combo: Kylie Minogue. Dancer, Singer, Songwriter and Actress
Kylie's talents as a dancer, singer, songwriter and actress make her a one-person killer combo. While she started her career on children's television shows, she's best-known for playing Charlene Robinson on iconic soapie Neighbours. Kylie pivoted her TV stardom into a music career, releasing her debut album in 1988. The pop album, which featured her first hit single "The Locomotion", spent more than a year on the UK Albums Chart and went gold in the United States. While critics saw Kylie's music as disposable, bubble-gum pop, her career longevity led to a renaissance in 2000, with the release of her single 'Spinning Around'. In 2005, Kylie was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent treatment. Her battle with cancer led to the Kylie Effect, which saw more young women going for regular breast cancer screenings. So iconic is the multi-hyphenate, she recently won a trademark battle against the other Kylie, Kylie Jenner for commercial use of her name in the United States of America.
Killer combo: Chris and Liam Hemsworth
What's more iconic than one Aussie hottie? Two. The Hemsworth brothers, Chris and Liam are known for their acting, and their piercing blue eyes. The Hemsworths were both inspired to take up acting by their older brother, Luke (yes, a third Hemsworth brother). Chris got his big break in 2004, when he was cast as Kim Hyde in iconic soap opera Home and Away. By 2010, he made his Hollywood film debut and, in 2011, he was cast as Thor in the Marvel universe. Liam started as a recurring character on Neighbours in 2007 and went on to feature in Home and Away, The Elephant Princess and Satisfaction. Liam was also asked to audition for the role of Thor and, although he lost to Chris, all's well that end's well, as he went on to star as Gale in The Hunger Games series.
Killer Combo: Tim Tam and Tea
The humble Tim Tam first made its appearance on grocery store shelves in Australia in 1964. Today, 3 000 Tim Tams are produced every minute at Huntington Bakery in Sydney. The Tim Tam combines a few essential delicious ingredients – it's made of a chocolate cream filling sandwiched by two biscuits and wrapped in a thin layer of chocolate. Discerning Tim Tam fans can bite off the ends and use the biscuit as a straw through which they can sip their tea – this is known as the Tim Tam Slam. So popular are the choc biscuits, they've garnered fans such as Kim Kardashian West and Taylor Swift.
Killer Combo: Vegemite and Cheese Sandwich
While we're more familiar with Marmite and Bovril, the Aussie classic Vegemite is iconic. The description – a food spread made from leftover yeast extract and vegetable additives – sounds less than delicious. But, any Aussie worth their salt will defend the bread spread with their lives. First sold in 1923 by Fred Walker & Co, Vegemite wasn't an instant success. But then, in 1925 Fred Walker went into a joint venture with Kraft to market processed cheese in Australia. From 1935 – 1937, Vegemite was given away as a freebie with every Kraft cheese product sold. And that saw the birth of a true Aussie classic: the Vegemite and cheese sandwich, or rather, "sanger". Vegemite is so synonymous with Aussie that Miley Cyrus has a tattoo of the famous jar on her arm, in honour of her Australian beau Liam Hemsworth.
Take advantage of Qantas' multi-stop fares, which allow you to explore more than just one city (you could get two free stops on a booking – conditions apply) and get ready to book a killer combo trip. Visit Qantas.com to discover more.