German Romantic Art Songs or German "Lieder" constitute a consistent part of every aspiring classical singer's repertoire around the world. This study investigates a contemporary Australian audiences' appreciation of the genre; it asks further what role the various Romantic characteristics play in German "Lieder" genre, gauges respondents' awareness of stylistic characteristics of "Lieder" and explores the importance of the "German-ness" of "Lieder". A survey conducted at the prestigious annual competition National Liederfest elicited surprisingly passionate responses which suggest new ways of teaching "Lieder" in Australia.