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The extent of ethnic intermarriage in culturally diverse societies reflects the extent of group assimilation versus group isolation and segregation. Applying descriptive and log-linear techniques of analysis to cohort data on intermarriage from the 1986 Census of Australia, we assess how far marriage choices are constrained within ethnic group boundaries; whether such choices have been relatively constant or variable over time; and the extent to which marriage choices parallel cleavages along occupational economic, educational, linguistic, and religious lines. We present marriage data for groups from several ethnic ancestries, including north-western Europe, eastern and southern Europe, eastern Asia and western Asia, and English-speaking countries. Focusing on groups from the Mediterranean basin who married after their arrival in Australia, we provide empirical evidence about weakening group barriers over time among many, but not all, ancestry groups. We conclude that the maintenance of strong in-marriage tendencies largely depends on the continuing flow of new immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]