Australia Day is more than just a public holiday. Whether you’re in the city, on the coast or in a regional area, there are lots of events that celebrate everything that’s great about being Australian.
Australia Day in NSW – whether your caravan, camping or staying in a cabin at a holiday park, click here to find out what’s planned for Australia Day in your area.
Why Do We Celebrate Australia Day?
Australia Day is the official National Day of Australia. Celebrated annually on 26 January, it marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships at Port Jackson, New South Wales, and the raising of the Flag of Great Britain at that site by Governor Arthur Phillip.
In present-day Australia, celebrations reflect the diverse society and landscape of the nation, and are marked by community and family events, reflections on Australian history, official community awards, and citizenship ceremonies welcoming new immigrants into the Australian community.
Aussie Slang
Here are a few words and phrases commonly used in Australia.
- Arvo – Afternoon (S’Arvo – this afternoon!)
- Aussie Salute – Wave to scare the flies
- Barbie – Barbecue
- Bathers – Swimsuit
- Beauty! – Great! Most often exclaimed as “You Beauty”
- Billabong – A pond in a dry riverbed
- Billy – Teapot (In the Outback on the fire)
- Bludger – Someone who’s lazy, generally also who relies on others
- Booze Bus – Police vehicle used to catch drunk drivers
- Brekky – Breakfast
- Brolly – Umbrella
- Budgie Smugglers – Speedos
- Bush – “Out in the bush” – “he’s gone bush” In the countryside away from civilisation
- Cactus – Dead, Broken
- Choc A Bloc – Full
- Ciggy or Durry – a Cigarette
- Cobber – Very good friend. ‘Alright me ‘ol cobber’.
- Coldie – Beer. ‘Come over for a few coldie’s mate.’
- Coppers – Policemen
- Crikey – an expression of surprise
- Crook – Being ill or angry; ‘Don’t go crook on me for getting crook’
- Dag – Someone who’s a bit of a nerd or geek.
- Daks – Trousers. ‘Tracky daks’ = sweatpants (tracksuit pants)
- Dunny – Toilet
- Esky – An insulated container that keeps things cold (usually beers)
- Fair Dinkum – Honestly?
- Flannie / Flanno – flannelette shirt
- Flat out – Really busy – “Flat out like a lizard drinking” – As busy as a bee
- Footy – Football (AFL / Aussie Rules)
- G’day – Hello
- Galah – an Australian cockatoo with a reputation for not being bright, hence a galah is also a stupid person.
- Heaps – loads, lots, many
- Knickers – female underwear
- Legless – Someone who is really drunk
- Lollies – Sweets
- Mozzie – Mosquito
- No Worries -No problem / it’s ok
- Pash – to kiss
- Rellie / Rello – Relatives
- Runners – Trainers, Sneakers
- Servo – Service Station / Garage
- Sheila – A woman
- Shoot Through – To leave
- Sickie – a sick day off work, or ‘to pull a sickie’ would be to take a day off when you aren’t actually sick
- Slab – A carton of beers
- Snag – Sausage
- Stoked – Happy, Pleased
- Strewth – An exclamation of surprise
- Stubby – a bottle of beer
- Stubby Holder – Used so your hands don’t get cold when holding your beer, or to keep your beer warm!
- Stuffed – Tired
- Sunnies – Sunglasses
- Tinny – Can of beer or small boat
- Thongs – Flip Flops. A form of summer shoe.
- Tucker – Food. ‘Bush Tucker’ tends to be food found in the Outback such as witchety grubs.
- Two Up – A gambling game played on Anzac day.
- Woop Woop – middle of nowhere “he lives out woop woop”
