[6] In the staff description for its AllMusic entry, Dave Lewis notes that the piece, while clearly English in style, had a "jazz-inflected harmonic practice" similar to the future approach of jazz composer Duke Ellington.

According to the composer, the title makes reference to Australians from the state of Victoria, where Grainger was from; residents would often suck the leaves of gum trees to stay cool in the summer.

Grainger thought highly of Deagan, describing their instruments as "marvelously perfected examples of American inventive ingenuity" in the program notes of the piece.

[18][19] Other American reviews, after a following December concert in California, had both the San Francisco Examiner and Oakland Tribune similarly complimenting the piece, highlighting the unique third movement, and likening it to a showcase of nature.

[22][23] The Daily Telegraph was one paper critical towards the new percussion instruments, determining that the marimbas and like were inferior to the more common xylophone and bells, later defending that viewpoint after a response article in the Musical Courier that commended Grainger's experimentation.