Why Are Australian Safety Boots So Popular in the UK?
The History of Australian Boots
Australia is famous for many things - wide open landscapes, diverse wildlife, hard graft on the land... handsome, cricket playing men (just me?). But above all else, Australians are known to be a people that have had to value practicality in tough conditions. So it’s no surprise that the country has developed a proud tradition of bootmaking.
Bootmaking in Australia took off in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Settlers, farmers, and workers needed sturdy footwear to cope with the country’s harsh environment – searing heat, rough terrain, and long hours on horseback or foot.
Local leather was abundant, and skilled craftsmen established small factories and workshops, particularly around Sydney and Adelaide. From these beginnings, several brands emerged that would become internationally known.
Whether for stockmen riding the ranges, miners working deep underground, or tradesmen in growing cities, over the past century, brands like RM Williams, Redback, Mongrel Boots, Steel Blue and Hard Yakka have carried this craftsmanship and tradition forward.
Each has its own story – some still making boots in Australia, others shifting overseas as they grew. Together, they’ve shaped what many people around the world, especially in the UK, now think of as classic Aussie work boots.
Mongrel Boots
Tradition Meets Innovation
Mongrel Boots started in 1930 as part of the Victor Footwear company in Sydney, and it remains a family-owned business - still manufacturing in Australia today. While it shares the same heritage of toughness and durability as RM Williams and Redback, Mongrel carved out its niche by focusing on workplace safety and innovation.
Their standout development has been the ZipSider boot, which combines the security of a lace-up with the convenience of a side zip. This feature has proved hugely popular in both Australia and the UK, where tradespeople often need to get boots on and off quickly without sacrificing support. Many other brands have followed suit!
Mongrel also developed comfort technologies like the OrthoTec Poron® footbed, designed to reduce foot fatigue during long shifts. This comfort is what sets Mongrel apart. My husband Ryan reckons his Mongrel 561's have even helped to resolve his recent hip pain! That blend of tradition and innovation explains why Mongrel has become one of the fastest-growing Australian boot brands here inthe UK.
From personal experience, if someone tries a pair of Mongrel Boots on in our showroom, it's rare they walk out without them.
RM Williams
The Outback Original
RM Williams began in 1932, when Reginald Murray Williams set up shop in South Australia. His aim was simple: to build a boot tough enough for stockmen and horsemen in the Outback, but comfortable enough to wear all day.
His signature style – a one-piece leather upper with elastic sides – became a design classic. Over time, RM Williams boots moved beyond the bush and into city life, embraced as much for their style as their durability. In the UK today, they are often worn as dress boots, carrying a sense of Australian heritage and craftsmanship into boardrooms and pubs alike.
Retailing at around £350-450 a pair (accurate at the time of writing this blog), it's no surprise that my husband Ryan chooses to keep his RM Williams' boots "for best" only, meaning they end up largely unworn... but damn they sure are beautiful boots.
Redback Boots
Keeping it Practical
Redback Boots are an Australian company run by the Cloros family, who have a boot-making tradition spanning five generations back to the early 1900s. Yes, for those very astute, that's the very same Cloros family that also founded Mongrel Boots!
Best known for their elastic-sided slip-ons, Redbacks are a no-fuss design aimed squarely at workers who need something dependable. Well known across the UK agricultural community, their wide fit, shock-absorbing soles and durable leather made them a hit with UK farmers and landscapers when they became available here.
The famous red back spider logo (not a fun spider to come across unexpectedly - we can testify to that!) can be found on a range of merchandise, t-shirts and caps too.
Redbacks are a good example of a brand that has stuck to its roots: simple, tough, Australian-made boots built for long hours on your feet.
Steel Blue
100% Comfort Guaranteed
Founded in 1995 in Western Australia, Steel Blue Boots are a relative newcomer to the market compared to RM Williams or Mongrel. I like to say they're a young company, as they are younger than I am! Since their launch, Steel Blue have quickly gained attention across Europe for their emphasis on comfort, good looking boots, and their involvement in charity projects such as pink and blue boots supporting health causes.
Unlike some of the older brands, today Steel Blue has much of its manufacturing take place overseas, particularly in Indonesia, in order to meet global demand. The brand is still Australian in origin and design, but the boots themselves are no longer made locally.
They offer a 30 day comfort guarantee on all of their S3 rated safety boots, and a 6 month warranty too - meaning the quality is something you can trust. Just take a look at the thousands of product reviews.
Hard Yakka
More Than Boots
Hard Yakka, founded in Melbourne in 1935, has become one of Australia’s most recognisable workwear brands. The name itself comes from an Aboriginal word for “hard work”, and it reflects the company’s ethos.
Hard Yakka expanded from clothing and workwear into boots, producing footwear that is widely used across building sites and workshops, and more recently farming too. We live in our Hard Yakka flannel shirts!
Like Steel Blue, most Hard Yakka boots are now manufactured overseas under global ownership, making them Australian in brand but not in production. However this global awareness is a great asset for Hard Yakka, as they produce boots with the highest safety ratings, ranging from S1 all the way to S7. Certified world wide, their range of boots offer the greatest protection, better waterproofing and functionality - with some bold colour options to boot.
Why UK Workers Have Embraced Aussie Boots
Australian boots have a strong following in the UK for a few reasons:
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Proven Durability: Boots designed for the Outback could handle British farms, worksites and unpredictable weather with ease.
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Comfort for Long Shifts: Australian brands put a lot of effort into cushioning and support, which appealed to UK tradespeople and farmers.
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Distinct Style: The elastic-sided, chelsea-cut design of Mongrel Boots, RM Williams and Redback boots stood out from traditional UK work boots.
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Heritage Factor: Knowing a boot was designed, and in some cases still made, in Australia gave them an authenticity that British buyers appreciate.
Boots From The Land Down Under
The story of Australian boots is really the story of Australia itself: resilience, practicality, and a willingness to adapt. RM Williams brought bush craftsmanship into the world of fashion. Redback stayed true to simple, hard-wearing designs. Mongrel blended tradition with workplace innovation, making safety boots that suit modern industry. Steel Blue and Hard Yakka took Australian workwear to the global stage, even if that meant moving production offshore.
For UK workers and wearers, these boots carry more than just leather and stitching – they carry a history of hard yakka, long days, and the Australian spirit of getting the job done. And that’s why they remain as popular in Yorkshire or Cornwall as they are in Sydney or Perth.
Australian Work Boots are available throughout the UK, through authorised distributors and resellers like us at BIG Boots. Though not many are run by true blue Aussies... like Ryan! Please note that pricing may have changed from the imagery represented in this blog, but is accurate at the time of writing.
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