The Australian economy fared better than most others throughout the global financial crisis, but enrollments in economics degree course have been less resilient. We document the decline in enrollments in economics courses that has proceeded at a varying pace over several decades and explore some reasons for this trend. One important reason is strategic: the failure to adapt the economics curriculum in response to the growing Australian trend towards mass higher education. Inertia in the curriculum caused economics to be seen as too abstract and boring, while students found new "vocationally oriented" courses in business and marketing more attractive.