The Akubra captures Australia like no other item of clothing. Ubiquitous in the outback, the Akubra is worn by people from all walks of life, from the diggers with their slouch hats in two world wars to the official uniform of Australian athletes at international sporting events. Whether suave and respectable or worn and battered, Akubra hats are can be seen all over Australia.

Made of treated rabbit fur, Akubras today are manufactured in much the same way as they were when production began at Akubra Hats more than 100 years ago. Established in 1905, Akubra Hats still employs descendants of one of the company’s original hat makers.

The trademark name ‘Akubra’, which is an Aboriginal word for head covering, only came into use in 1912 but the hat’s precursor was first made in Tasmania in the 1870s. This was only a few years after 24 English rabbits were released in Geelong, Victoria, in 1859. The national hat industry that produces the Akubra depends on the descendants of those rabbits.

For over a century the Akubra has protected millions of Australians against the harsh sun, wind and driving rain and will continue to hold an emblematic place in Australian history and culture.

Source: Prime Minister of Australia - Australia in Focus - Symbols and Icons - Australian Icons