My prejudices say that Australians generally have a greater awareness that other countries are different from their own, but of course you may be right.

For me, "very old" when it comes to buildings pretty much starts at 500 years or so. "Old" starts at 200 or so. My experiences of the English (coming mostly form my former girlfriend and her family and friends) says that "old" would be 500+ and "very old" probably Roman. And I feel a rant trying to get out, so I'll save the rest for a post of its own.