Gorillas and chimps weren't around when the Australopithecines was

NO

Australopithecines were like modern humans in some ways because they walked upright on two legs, had similar hands and teeth, and lived in social groups. However, they also had smaller brains and more primitive tools and technology compared to modern humans.

The Australopithecines did not have religion or ceremonies. The earliest evidence for brain development sufficient to allow symbolic behaviour and these kind of behaviours is associated with Neanderthal which appeared 600,000 years after the last Australopithecines disappeared.

Homo erectus coexisted with several species of australopithecines including Australopithecus afarensis, Australopithecus africanus, and possibly Australopithecus garhi. These australopithecines lived before the appearance of Homo erectus and were part of the evolutionary lineage that eventually led to humans.