The breed comes from Australia and hence the name Australia Koolie. It is not FCI approved and there is no FCI race description on it, despite the fact that it has been around for up to 200 years.

In Australia, it is a distinct working dog that, for hundreds of years, has been used as a shepherd dog and can work with any domestic animal (sheep, goats, cattle, ducks, etc.) and has therefore acquired the hard working life with many working hours in the hot and dry Australian climate. It places great demands on endurance, stress, health and work ethic, and it is not uncommon for dogs that cannot stand the distance to be put down. It may sound harsh and cynical, but it has also meant that Koolie is a healthy and strong breed, with a very high work ethic that looks forward to the day's challenges and has a good working relationship with its owner. This is exactly what is needed on a big ranch in Australia. This is possibly also why the breed is not very well known, as the farmers have not had a need to spread the breed to the common man, but just have them as working dogs on the ranch.