I Still Call Australia Home - Qantas Advert REACTION 

This was beautiful. As a Scottish person who has not lived in Scotland for 10 years it really hit home to me and made me miss my own home. Australians must be so proud to have such a great homage to their wonderful country in this format. Tell me what you think about it?

I’ve travelled overseas constantly and lived in many different countries in my life and flying into Sydney Harbour on Qantas with this song playing.. well let’s just say nothing beats it!! Peter Allen wrote this. He was an iconic Australian performer, once married to Liza Minnelli. He passed away in 1992 at just 48 years of age.

Fun Fact. Hugh Jackman once played Peter Allen in the stage production "The Boy from Oz". Peter Allen wrote this song. He was an Australian performer who lived mostly overseas and at one point was married to Liza Minnelli.

I cry every time I watch this - The emotion is incredible- Qantas got one thing right at least 🙄

The small children in the maroon (we pronounce marone) uniforms are from Longreach, outback Queensland. It is the place known as the birth place of QANTAS. The QANTAS museum is there and worth a visit. It is a small country town but they managed to land a Jumbo Jet on its little runway to be stored at the museum. QANTAS by the way stands for Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service. It's first flights were joy rides and mail runs but the plan was always to connect Australia to the world by flying from the east coast to the world via Darwin, NT. I think it is the third oldest continuously running airline.

The song has been used by QANTAS as an advertising theme for decades but you should find the original performance by rhe writer and performer of the song Peter Allen , I guarantee that this song brings a tear to every Australian eye everytime its played ,especially when their coming home from even a short trip away from this magical place we call home . It's said that this song along with I AM AUSTRALIAN by the Australian pop group THE SEEKERS should be the Australian national anthem I think a whole lot of Aussies would go along with that .

As much as I love this one, the original add was just so much better.

This ad became especially significant after the international borders to Australia were opened again after the peak of the covid pandemic. Families and friends were reunited once more with Qantas bringing people home after months and years apart. A very touching advertisement for all Aussies, home and abroad.

As an Aussie I’ve seen this many times, but it brings a tear to my eye every time. 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

Also Covid kept everyone apart. So 'together again' at the end is particularly meaningful!

Most Aussies will have a tear in their eye when they hear this song :) as others mentioned "I am Australian: by the Seekers would be a great one to react to as would the Australian Tourism ad "Matesong' which was directed towards people living in the UK - which I think you would love as well!! loving your reactions and how genuine you are!

Qantas first used this song in an advert in 1999. They've been using it ever since, but it wasn't written for them. It was written and first performed by Peter Allen. The original Qantas ad is considered a masterpiece of the format, featuring singers from various children's choirs performing the song in various world locations.

Aussie here! The kids in white are a combination of two australian choirs. I'm actually a part of the girls choir, and I know and train with a few of the people in the ad, like the soloist at the start. We still perform that song all the time at different gigs, like the boxing day test cricket match. Thought someone might find this interesting. :)

When returning from a long time OS, the most shockingly unexpected things for me were how clean, safe and perfect the public spaces are in Australia, compared to most other countries. We are blessed truly to have this reality.

That’s Uluṟu (formerly known as Ayers Rock) at the beginning of the clip. This is one of our country’s most iconic songs. Peter Allen recorded it years before his death🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

Like you I am Scottish born and bred. I came to Australia 56 years ago as a 10 pound tourist to visit family who were already here and I fell in love with Adelaide where I still live. I Iove my life in Australia and my 4 children are happy Aussies. But seeing that commercial again I just fell apart missing family. Hopefully I will get one more trip before my time is up. I really enjoy your reactions you are so honest. Plus you love our John and that's a good thing 👏 👏 👏

One of the reasons this song resonates is that the chord progression is the same as waltzing Matilda which is Australia’s unofficial anthem. We live this song. Thank you for your reaction

When I boarded a flight from LA back to OZ a few years back, once the plane had taxied and we were waiting to take off the captain played this over the loud speaker and all the Aussies on board cheered and high fivd eached other and some even had tears in our eyes. Quantas have been known to pull that on their passengers on numerous occasions especially during the Christmas holidays because they know how much home means to us!!

That one was celebrating QANTAS flying again after Covid. There is a video that runs for about 14 minutes with all of their other ads over the years and everyone is beautiful, I love the one with the young Aboriginal boy who sings the first part in his language. They are beautiful and you only see the word QANTAS at the end. This one you just played has the most QANTAS in it out of all because their planes and every other companies planes were grounded in the desert and locked up. We got off lightly with Covid because of things like this. Our Aboriginal people in the Outback do not have strong immune systems, not the one’s who have rarely left the land. My son left his job and his family for 18 months to go back out there and care for three of the Aboriginal Missions that he and his wife used to take care of. He was supposed to be there for two years but his heart went into Atrial Fib, he couldn’t stop it. So the Flying Doctor was called to get him to a hospital for surgery. Every adult on this was famous some live overseas and some don’t but they all keep coming home. The Children are The Australian Children’s Choir. The school children are from Longreach in Queensland where QANTAS began. It was our first Airline and it is still the safest in the world but they know the meaning of this song. I have travelled overseas many times and loved it but nothing is as good as seeing we are about to land at home. We live in a magical land that always calls us home again. Thank you.

I believe this to be the most beautiful ad ever made. 🇦🇺

A bit of a phenomenon, every time I watch this add a random breeze blows dust in my eye. I SWEAR IT'S THE DUST! :D

This is one of the most touching adverts I have ever seen! Beautiful song!

Mat I so enjoy your reactions of Aussie music, sport, culture and now even ads lol. Have you done "I am, You are, we are Australians" by the Seekers? It's another heart felt song/story of our love for this Great Southern Land. This was the final performance of this group and not long afterward the lead female singer Judith Durham passed away. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KrLTe1_9zso.html

Hi Mat, I just want to let you know that I think your reactions are so deep and meaningful. I love how you understand Australia so well and can relate to the deep feeling you have about being Scottish, how it is a part of you. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us😊

Son!!! You need to get on a jet and Come On Down! You will fit right in. 8 hrs 20 min KL to Sydney. 5hrs 40min KL to Perth. You can do it!!

Its a great advert. I remember when I was staying in the US with friends for a few months, and time to go home, got to LA and booked in at the QANTAS terminal and hearing their voices, accents, and seeing the jet with the big red flying kangaroo, just made me so happy. And of course nearly crying as it finally circled over Sydney. You can take the girl out of Australia, but never Australia out of the girl. Couldn't live anywhere else.

The most beautiful and precious thing in Australia is our children.

Thankyou Peter Allen

Probably in excess or 20 years ago the song was played on final approach into Sydney, brought tears to the eyes!

Hi Mat. Your reaction was perfect and perfectly explained. Yes! We are very patriotic here, we Love our country. In saying that we also embrace our visitors and hope that they have a fantastic time here. This Qantas advert (even in its many variations over the years) is Magnificent and very well done from start to finish, in the message that it conveys. If you are Australian or have an association to Aust, this advert touches your heart, it stirs your emotions, in what ever form it is. Big ♥️ to Australia🛫 my home.. and ❤️ to you Mat from🛬 🇦🇺👏👏👏🙋‍♀️

As an Aussie currently in Glasgow I have to say this made me sob. I so miss Australia & I understand how much you must miss Scotland. I love Scotland but I am so looking forward to going home. Thank you so much for posting this ❤

The music was composed by Australian, Peter Allen. There were a number of QANTAS Adds using the same music and Theme. Some used THOUSANDS in the one scene.

I've never left Australia and I'm not particularly patriotic, but this song, and a couple of other songs (the songs _Only Nineteen_ and _The Band Played Waltzing Matilda_ in particular) evoke a fair amount of it in me.

This is just the most recent incarnation of this ad, reflecting the difficulties of the past few years but there is a ling tradition of these QANTAS ads, the kids singing are part of the QANTAS choir who get flown around the world (usually) to make these amazing ads

Hi Mat Just to add a bit of background. QANTAS is an acronym - Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Service. It roots trace back to Cloncury in North Queensland many years ago. It is an integral part of Australian history.

I flew back to Australia from my holiday in England. As the plane drew closer to the top end of the country, there was a band of red dust across the bottom of the horizon. I suddenly felt overwhelmed and teared up. The colour of that dust is so familiar to most aussies - it is one of the dominant colours of home - iron red earth. The others being the yellow flowers of the wattle and the misty blue green of the eucalypts. The experience left me with a great sense of belonging. My family (Munro) are from the Isle of Skye - they emigrated in 1852. I plan to go there one day and see if I can find where they lived. I know where the ones who emigrated to Australia are buried.

Having Australia closed for two years , people came home back to Aussie happy reunited families together

It is a advertisement BUT it is a song FIRST written by Peter Allen with the same name " I Still Call Australia Home "...... It's one of our beloved anthems

Your accent when you say 'Australia' is wonderful. 😉 Yes - grabs you in the chest this one - even when you're still home! I remember flying back from London one time, had been away over a year, and somewhere around 1am, the Pilots voice came on and said; 'for those of you still awake if you look out your window in about 2 minutes time, you will see when we leave flying over the ocean and cross over the coastline of Australia', and I thought Great! So I peered out and sure enough; there was the dark curve of the land and the shining silver of the sea. 'Aaaah Home!' I said to myself. About 1/2 an hour later, I looked out the window again, and there was... The same dark curve and the silver... And then realised I'd been getting all sentimental about the wing of he plane... 😵‍💫

The choir also links it back to the original version of the ad, which was just choir kids, with no celebrities.

This is a Peter Allen song, written in the 70s. It's a very powerful song and Aussies love it. Peter Allen wrote some wonderful songs about Australia, another one is Tenterfield Sadler, which is about his grandfather and father who came from Tenterfield, in NSW. You should have a listen.

Yes. My mum's family were always Scots through generations that never changed, just with Aussie accents! Once a Scot always a Scot, same with Australia! 🫂👍 (Jimmy Barnes immigrated from Glasgow slums to South Australia! 👍) You are absolutely right, thank you! 🤗👍😪

I first remember hearing this song when the writer Peter Allen, performed it at a Royal Charity concert before the Queen and Prince Phillip in the Sydney Opera House in 1980. Also on the bill that night, was another Australian you have reacted to, John Farnham singing Help. Sharing the stage, was Olivia Newton John singing Don't Cry For Me Argentina. Peter and Olivia's message was very touching, that while they'd had success overseas, their hearts were still in Australia.

I'm Australian and get emotional everytime I see this. I can tell you're Scottish and I've been before it was beautiful. I lived in the UK in the late 90s and worked as a nanny. I missed home so much, was glad for the experience but couldn't wait to return home

You need to watch Great Southern Land by Icehouse. The scenic version. Just awesome!

I wake up everyday feeling so lucky to be Australian. Songs like this make me tear up with pride every time I hear them. We are so blessed.

Thank you so much for the love you show towards Australian culture.Its nice to see your sincerity.

The song in the Ad is a real song written by an Australian singer songwriter in the sixties his name was Peter Allen and he moved to America and was big in the late sixties and seventies over there and wrote some big hits that one Tenterfield saddler was another

The reason this song is so good is that it was originally written and released by Aussie singer Peter Allen in the 70s. Sadly, he died of AIDS aged just 48 - but left us with some amazing music.

Even us Aussie's never have a dry eye not matter how many times we watch this. I remember a famous Australian athlete was in the US and was very close to where 9-11 happened on that day. As all the airports were shut down for some time, he couldn't get home fast enough. He Said that the moment he saw the Qantas plane (the flying kangaroo as it;s know) and boarded it, he literally felt safe and closer to home. With the airline using this some for many decades now, that connection to home and no doubt, the words of this song and its deep meaning really did run through his mind at such a horrible time. There have been a few version of this done over the years, all worth a look at. You must check out 'The Seekers' version of 'I am Australian" which is just as deep an meaningful to us Aussies as this song. Would love to visit Scotland one day, I'm a 7th or 8th (can never remember which number I am) generation Aussie Scot, the Ferguson name carried on until my Grandmother, mothers side. Then my dad's side is about as many generations from England, still have relatives there and both sides were amongst the early settlers here.

Brings tears to my eyes every time I hear this song . What I believe is a masterpiece of writing and a song that captures our spirit as Australians is ‘ I am Australian ‘ by the seekers . You should listen to it every word means so much

the song I still call Australia Home was a big hit on it's own for the Late Peter Allen.

When I international fly back to Sydney using Qantas, they play this as they taxi to the gate. It feels good.......

Such a great song by legendary Aussie performer Peter Allen. Qantas adopted this song several decades ago and changed the lyrics slightly. His version had the line 'from New York to Rio and Old London Town' but at the time Qantas did not fly to Rio de Janeiro so that changed Rio to Rome. They released this version as the Covid restrictions were eased. Australians were not allowed to leave the country for several years due to Covid and so Qantas cancelled all of its international services. As the restrictions were removed, they released this ad, The scene with the mother and baby reuniting with the grandmother always gets me as there were many thousands of families separated for years. The slogan at the end 'Together once more' meant so much to so many. You should check out Peter's original version as well as song of his other songs like 'Tenterfield Saddler', which is about his Grandfather, his father and himself.

The only add that can get big tough Aussie to bawl like babies. This song every time. Even watching it home in Brisbane I started crying.

You might want to react to The Seekers singing We Are Australian

There are many of these qantas ads over the years. They are all so heart wrenching and evoke a longing.

I never new I needed this today. This makes me wanna travel around Australia. I'm so grateful and blessed to have been born in such a beautiful Country.

Every time I fly home I sing this in my mind as we fly over the harbour. Ball like a baby every time

Just thought you might like to know that "i still call Australia home " start of as a song written &performed by an Australian musical performer named Peter Allen & he does a great performance

Thx Matt for a beautiful reaction! If I was overseas & heard this song I would be very emotional! Yes we love our country but are very low key about it but rest assured we are very patriotic! Love from Oz! 🇦🇺

I'm an Aussie,but my dad's mum is from Aberdeenshire 💝 but yeah everytime I hear this and other songs, like, I am you are we are Australian, I cry. So glad I saw this video cos I cried a little bit more cos your voice reminded me of my Nan, and I miss her so much

Still brings a tear to my eyes

About the only ad that makes me want to cry This song was originally recorded by Peter Allen who was from Australia but moved to US

I really appreciate how you understood this feeling as a Scottish person living in Asia. I am an Australian person living in Asia and this video has a strong emotional impact on me.

This song makes me SO PROUD to be an Australian. We are one of the oldest countries on earth, as evidenced by our aboriginal heritage, but one of the youngest according to western history. The beauty of Australia is not only in the natural blessings that God bestoyed on us, but of the freedom that we have, to be who we want to be. Our multi-culturism is beyond reproach. All that we ask is that new citizens endeavour to any leave any of their past hatreds at the gate as they become Australian citizens. I have been a teacher for many years and I think the most important thing that I have ever taught my students was to value the freedom, embrace the differences and treasure what it is to be an Australian. Thank you for sharing, what is to me, a song which holds the most special place in my heart. I am one of the many PROUD AUSTRALIANS.

When I travel, it is a worry that I wont die in my beloved Australia. There's a sigh if relief when the plane touches down in Australian soil.

Written by an ex-pat , Peter Allen, a touching song. I've travelled, 18/15 million of us do each year, but I'm always glad to be back in my beautiful, free speech, country. That song is so touching.

As an Aussie expat who was stuck in Hong Kong from 2019 until Christmas 2021, alone - this song always makes me cry. I’m back in Hong Kong now but I always, always miss Australia when i’m away.

I'm a proud Australian, I lived all over the place, including 5 years in Shah Alam, Malaysia. But there is no place like home. Australia is an amazing home to have, I feel so lucky. I do miss the roti and dhall, though.

As an Australian I love travel but to see to that big red kangaroo on the tail of the plane someone that's taking me home brings a tear to my eye a tear always arrives and I hear that song as on boarding more arrive I love my home and our brothers and sisters from NZ We have a great love and life ❤️ 💕

Qantas sure do a good ad! The song is an Aussie classic by the great Peter Allen!

Makes me teary every time

Qantas whacks on this song when you're flying back into Australia, hits hard man.

That red tail with a kangaroo was like medicine when I was stuck overseas for work, like a slice of home

Lovely work Matt. There is always something special about coming home after a long period overseas, and the fact Australia is so far away from anywhere, when we travel we tend to go for longer periods of time. Maybe we need to play a little Loch Lomond for you.

There's another ad we Australians would love you to see. Also some amazing cinematography and choirs.... Its Carlton' "big ad".😊

Hi Mat...this version was released earlier in 2022 to announce that Qantas was carrying international passengers again for the first time in 2 years following covid.

I could listen to your voice all day.

Love this!!!! Makes us proud!!!!

Love your vids. G'day from Adelaide, South Australia

My great grandparents on both sides are Scottish and Welsh. Even being Australian I still feel a connection to my ancestral country. I’d love to visit Scotland and England. But I’m an Aussie through and through lol

Oh Matt, you make my heart sing ❤❤🇦🇺⚘🙏👋👋👋

This was sung by Peter Allen. Listened to it as we came home from Europe.

Mat you need to watch and listen to I Am Australian by the Seekers at their Fairwel Live Perfomance at the Sydney Myer Music Bowl I think you will enjoy it so much. Cheers

Love it every time. From Hindmarsh Island, South Australia 🇦🇺

Qantas has used the Australian childrens' choirs in their other adverts, too.

Great reaction, the song is close to many Australian’s hearts. I love your Scottish accent, for me it’s as lovely to the ear as Italian and French accents.

This song was written by Peter Allen in 1980 for all the ex-pats missing home.

Love- hate relationship with Qantas here. Love the service & always love flying with them. But I lived in China for a decade & would fly to Hong Kong with them- they'd always play this just before the safety briefing and after visiting home here in Australia & flying back to China for another year I'd be bloody bawling my eyes out by the time they did the safety instructions!!!

I am so proud to be Australian. It's home, it's family, it's love and just... us! It was Peter Allen who wrote this and Qantas who took it on as an advert but the words are still true. We are a proud people and love our country.

You read and share these videos as if they were poems. You add to and amplify their art. Beyond what "reactors" usually do. Those who don't much matter any more. Ta for letting us watch and sit in with you

SO PROUD TO BE A AUSSIE BORN AND BRED SHOULD BE OUR ANTHEM

This song/ad has had many iterations over the years - but this version came out during the covid lockdowns when people were separated from their loved ones overseas and it was so emotional

Loving the reactions. This is a special song to listen to when understanding it’s origins and QANTAS has made some amazing ads with it. For me their best advertising at the time was getting Dustin Hoffman in the movie Rainman to unequivocally state ‘QANTAS never crashed’ as he refused to fly. That product placement was very clever.

Song lines for you Matt. "Caledonia is calling me, now I'm going home". 🙂

hey Scotty thanks for checking us mate. though if you ever visit you wouldnt be so homesick as Scots are every where down under. \Cheers to you and fam God bless

Might be worth noting that this ad in particular was filmed before the pandemic, but aired after international travel opened up again post-pandemic.

The song was written by Peter Allen who had been living in the USA for many years.

Te add basically is post Covid selling an airline. But the messages are aimed at making Australians feel good about themselves. The treatment of Aboriginal people is one of repesct. The guy getting in the pool is one of Australia’s greatest football players. The woman on the phone is again indigenous one of our greatest tennis players. The two women in the pool are both champions. One is a disabled athlete the other not, they are presented as equals. The message of the add is respect and veneration of everyone