This thread has become quite interesting and I'd like to add a bit to it. The word "mate" is still widely used in Australia and England, but the term is generally only used for men who have close personal friendships with each other. In Australia I feel although it is still often used it has become less common, possibly through the influence of American English.
Construction workers, tradesman, transport workers, still use the term "mate" very often, also those involved in the mining industry, Australia's "blokey" industries. I call my British and Aussie ex-pat friends "mate", I still say "Gidday Mate", G'day mate! Also people still say "Thanks mate" after purchasing something at a shop as a sign of politeness and friendly banter. When I get off a bus in Brisbane or Sydney I also say it.

Obviously he is not really my "mate", but I just show appreciation for his job. There is still a misconception and stereotype about Australian English language, possibly because of popular Australian films like Crocodile Dundee and Muriel's Wedding. Generally speaking, most Aussies don't talk like that these days.

I hardly ever hear "fair dinkum", "bonza bewdy mate", "hooroo" or other slang these days, even "she'll be right", or "she'll be right mate", same with "stone the crows", "stone the flamin' crows", although Alf Stewart in Home and Away used a lot of slang.

The only place to hear that sort of language now I suspect would be in remote areas of QLD and the Northern Terrritory, maybe still in Alice Springs, but I doubt in Darwin, which used to be a city full of colourful characters and language before Christmas 1974 ( pre-Tracy ) Darwin oldtimers , CT survivors, often say that was "the day Darwin died", old Darwin anyway. I suspect a lot of the old language died out also, certainly the city is nothing remotely even like it was in the early 70's.

"We like football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars"! ..............LOL!

Most expat Aussies that I know are engineers, some are indeed genuine mates of mine, some will just call me mate anyway.