What is an Akubra hat?
Akubra is an Australian hat brand famous for its wide-brimmed felt hats made from rabbit fur. The hats are made in Kempsey, New South Wales, and are worn widely in rural Australia.
The company traces its history to a hat-making business started by English immigrant Benjamin Dunkerley in Tasmania in the 1870s. He later moved to Sydney, and the business eventually became Akubra.
The name Akubra is often said to come from an Aboriginal word meaning head covering. The brand name was registered in the early 1900s.
Made from rabbit fur
Akubra hats are made from rabbit fur felt, which is shaped, dyed and finished in the Kempsey factory. The felt is durable, water resistant and helps protect the wearer from the sun.
Popular styles include the Cattleman, Snowy River and Coolabah. These hats are associated with farmers, stockmen and outback workers, as well as with politicians and celebrities.
Akubra also makes the slouch hat worn by the Australian Army. The company remains family-owned and is one of the few remaining Australian clothing manufacturers.
Did You Know?
Kempsey is on the Macleay River on the New South Wales mid-north coast.