This collection investigates the multifaceted nature of Australian identity by capturing a single, synchronized moment in time across an entire continent. The authors, Rick Smolan and Andy Park, coordinated a massive team of professional photographers to document the diverse realities of the Australian population on March 6, 1981. By utilizing a strictly limited timeframe, the project presents a cross-sectional analysis of the nation's social, economic, and cultural landscape during the early 1980s.

The work is regarded as a significant artifact of 20th-century photojournalism, noted for its ambitious scale and technical coordination. The framing suggests a historical document that prioritizes breadth of coverage over deep analytical narrative, serving as a time capsule of a specific cultural era.