A common geography curriculum for Australian schools was approved in May 2013. This paper describes the conceptual and philosophical foundations of the curriculum through a discussion of its definition of geography, selection of concepts, integration of skills into the process of inquiry, and specification of learning about countries and continents, and of the perspectives that are stated or implied. It describes a view of geography that is eclectic yet emphasises the subject's distinctive ways of thinking. The paper also finds that the Australian curriculum differs from some other national curriculums in its definition, range and choice of concepts, and specification of place knowledge.