The episode received mixed reception in Australia, with some Australian fans saying the episode was a mockery of their country. Shortly after it had aired, the Simpsons staff received over 100 letters from Australians who were insulted by the episode. They also received letters from people complaining about the Australian accents used in the episode that "sounded more like South African accents". It has since become a beloved episode in Australia.
The bullfrogs taking over Australia and destroying all the crops is a reference to the cane toad, originally introduced to Australia in order to protect sugar canes from the cane beetle, but became a pest in the country.
Bart calls South America prior to calling Australia, and the man who attempts to answer his call resembles an aged Adolf Hitler. This is a reference to numerous Nazis fleeing Germany at the end of the Second World War to find refuge in South America.
The episode perpetuated a popular myth that the Coriolis effect affects the motion of drains in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. In reality, the Coriolis effect affects global weather patterns. The amount of water in a toilet or sink is much too small to be affected by it.
As Bart calls the Southern Hemisphere, the tone of his dialing actually plays the theme song for National Geographic documentaries.