Wasn't Starbucks founded in the early 70s? It's an extension of the already existing Seattle coffee scene at the time.

I think Australia has a fondness for espresso but not coffee. FFS the default drink in a McDonald's breakfast isn't even coffee but hot chocolate. What kind of coffee culture does that?

Coffee culture has existed in the US since the 1700s at least when Americans started drinking coffee instead of tea to spite the British, it's just a different coffee culture than the modern cafe espresso culture and it's not "better" or "worse".

The US has had Italians for just as long, and unlike Australia didn't let the mafia corner the produce industry.