There are a few things that make Australia truly unique: the love of a good cuppa, the way Aussies can spot a magpie from a mile away, and, of course, the unspoken rules that every Aussie is just supposed to know.

But as it turns out, one of the most sacred of these 'bush laws' is being ignored—and rural residents are absolutely fuming!

We’re talking about the age-old rule of the gate: if you find it open, leave it open; if you find it closed, close it behind you. Simple, right? You’d think so, but apparently, not everyone got the memo.

A recent online rant has struck a chord with Aussies everywhere, with one rural property owner taking to social media to vent their frustration after someone left their gate open—despite it being firmly shut when they arrived.

Rural Aussies are fed up with people ignoring the unspoken rule to leave gates as you found them—open or shut—when visiting properties. Image source: Waldemar / Unsplash.

‘If you drive into a property and their gate is shut, f***** shut it after you come in! If you’re picking up free furniture off Gumtree and you’ve been told to shut the… gate then…SHUT THE GATE!’ they wrote. The post quickly went viral.

The result? ‘I just spent an hour out in the rain looking for my golden retriever and ruined my brand new Ugg boots in the process. I thought the gate thing was widely understood in this country, but apparently some people need a stern reminder.’ they said.

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Thankfully, the dog is fine, and the original post said that, ‘I caught her in the neighbours driveway going after a rabbit. And I wore my Ugg boots out in the rain because I didn’t have time to think about my footwear when my pet’s life was potentially in danger.’

Hundreds of fellow Aussies chimed in, echoing the sentiment: 'It’s bush law!' and 'Leave gates as you found them!' rang out in the comments.

Another person shared: ‘I hate people who don't shut the gate. I've had a number of people who've been playing with my dogs in the front yard, open the gate, and leave it open. The dogs (of course) run away, and they don't do anything to help.’

It’s not just about animals, either. Open gates can lead to unauthorised access, property damage, and even legal headaches. In fact, some councils have had to step in and introduce fines for those who can’t follow this simple rule.

Take Coonamble Shire Council, for example: if you open a public gate and don’t close it immediately, you could be hit with a penalty of up to 10 units—and be liable for any damage that results, according to the Coonamble Shire Council.

And it’s not just a rural issue. City dwellers, take note: the same rule applies in suburban homes, day care centres, restaurants, and cafes. It’s all about respect for other people’s property and a bit of good old-fashioned Aussie courtesy.

What’s really fascinating is how deeply ingrained this rule is in our culture. One commenter shared that even their 14-year-old stepson knew the rule instinctively, without ever being told.

'If a 14-year-old can have that common sense, so can everyone else,' they wrote. It’s a rite of passage, a bit of bush wisdom passed down through generations—except, it seems, to a few forgetful visitors.

The Gates and Stock Grids on Public Roads policy, available online, explains that the rule exists to protect both residents and livestock, while also helping to prevent problems such as unauthorised entry or damage to neighbouring properties.

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Key Takeaways

• Rural Aussies are fed up with people ignoring the unspoken rule to leave gates as you found them—open or shut—when visiting properties.
• A viral online rant highlighted how disregarding this simple rule can have real consequences, like pets escaping, and stirred up passionate agreement from hundreds of Aussies.
• Many see leaving gates as you found them as 'Bush law' and classic Aussie etiquette, with some councils even issuing fines for not following this rule.
• The issue extends beyond rural areas, with residents reporting similar problems at suburban homes and public places, prompting calls for better manners and respect for others' property.

Have you ever had a run-in with a gate-leaver, or maybe a close call with a wandering pet or livestock? Do you think this 'unspoken agreement' is still alive and well, or is it time for a refresher course in Aussie etiquette? Share your stories and thoughts in the comments below!

 

[Zemo]

Old bush rule ... leave gates as you found them.
Of course, that doesn't apply to city trendies, but, does it?

 

[Marvin Kombi]

Lol! I tell my grandsons that rule everyday and they still can’t remember to shut the door after they come through it!!!

 

[PattiB]

Lol! I tell my grandsons that rule everyday and they still can’t remember to shut the door after they come through it!!!

I’m sure some members of my family were born in a tent!

 

[PattiB]

I know opening & closing gates is a nuisance, it’s something we do every time we visit my husband’s older brother. I grew up on a farm so have always known this rule, and still remember my dad complaining about people wanting access to the river for fishing, driving through several paddocks to get there, leaving every gate open, and sheep would end up all over the place. Farmers have enough to do without needing to divide various flocks of sheep again. Gates ended up being padlocked, and only certain approved people were allowed through. Urbanised people should learn to be a bit more courteous, but common sense doesn’t appear to often these days, unfortunately, or good manners.

 

[NoNoNoNoNoNo]

the rule taught by my parents was - if its open, leave it open - if its closed, make damn sure you close it again. All taught with a kick in the bum if you didn't close it. LOL

 

[mylittletibbies]

Yes city people are just as bad.
I have two little dogs and both my gates have signs on them requesting people to please shut.

Years ago, I had a little puppy who was run over and killed because some moron didn't bother to shut the gate.

Recently I had a plumber working for me who kept frequently returning to his Ute and leaving the gate open., despite the sign.My poor daughter was getting so distressed about the situation that she stood out in the rain and kept shutting the gate.
I was down the street at the time. When I got home I asked her why she didn’t put the dogs inside, she didn't think of it, poor darling.
I wasn't very happy with the plumber, nor him with me when I asked him if he only went to night school and couldn't read in the day time.
Moron.

 

[Macarj]

WE have a gate on our property and luckily all our friends and family shut it the only one who left it open once was me our dogs got out

 

[Veggiepatch]

Watch out!

The Council of Greater Moronville will be conducting random checks of private residences to ensure their toilet seat is down.

Maximum penalty for non compliance: 20 penalty units.

 

[Morgans Orchard]

Many years ago when the river run through our dairy farm there used to be trout in the river Every so often the fisheries used to release extra trout for fishermen to catch . The farmer couldn’t refuse the fishermen going thru your property then but they were supposed to be walking only and they were to come and let you know they were going down to the river . They could walk down through the cows not supposed to take DOGS because we had them chase the cows thru the fences! It had been raining quite heavy during week and we had one chap come and ask would he have a lend of the tractor to pull his car out it was BOGGED in the paddock . ” up to doors.” We said no we were not making big ruts in paddock with tractor it would have to stay there . So we rang local town police officer he came and said NO and put big padlock on gate and we were to ring him and he would come and supervise the removal and sort out any charges and we were to put padlocks on all our gates .Which was a nuisanc for us because we would go down to get cows at night and forget to take key LOL. But then when they went fishing they just stood on wire climbing over and damaged fences You might own your land and property but when it’s all boiled down no .Don’t know if this rule still applies today

 

[mOiOz]

Tradies are the worst! I've often had to sit by my front door during the entire work process, to make sure my furbaby doesn't escape AGAIN!

 

[PattiB]

Many years ago when the river run through our dairy farm there used to be trout in the river Every so often the fisheries used to release extra trout for fishermen to catch . The farmer couldn’t refuse the fishermen going thru your property then but they were supposed to be walking only and they were to come and let you know they were going down to the river . They could walk down through the cows not supposed to take DOGS because we had them chase the cows thru the fences! It had been raining quite heavy during week and we had one chap come and ask would he have a lend of the tractor to pull his car out it was BOGGED in the paddock . ” up to doors.” We said no we were not making big ruts in paddock with tractor it would have to stay there . So we rang local town police officer he came and said NO and put big padlock on gate and we were to ring him and he would come and supervise the removal and sort out any charges and we were to put padlocks on all our gates .Which was a nuisanc for us because we would go down to get cows at night and forget to take key LOL. But then when they went fishing they just stood on wire climbing over and damaged fences You might own your land and property but when it’s all boiled down no .Don’t know if this rule still applies today

In Tasmania the original land grants had the boundary in the middle of the river, so the property owners had the right to refuse entry. I don’t know if this right is valid today, but I remember last year in a Hobart suburb, council, I think, wanted to construct a path along the edge of the beach, but couldn’t because of how the original blocks included the area needed, and being an expensive, older suburb the residents all refused access. We can’t have ordinary people wandering along in front of our houses, can we?

 

[Jest]

close the bloody gates even if they were open. brought up on a farm i had to go with my dad to open and shut gates. i soon learnt.