Free Settler or Felon
Convict and Colonial History




Australian Slang - Local Lingo

Unique Phrases - Memorable Quotes - S


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


SADDLING PADDOCK - a place to pick up women; originally the bar in the Threatre Royal, Melbourne

SAIDA (SAYEEDA) - greeting, good-day (WW1)

SALTBUSH - species of plant covering extensive plains central Australia

SALTBUSH BILL - a character in poems written by Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson. First published in The Bulletin on 15 December 1894. "Now Saltbush Bill was a drover tough as ever the country knew, He had fought his way on the Great Stock Routes from the sea to the Big Barcoo"

SALTIE - saltwater crocodilele

SALVOS - Salvation Army personnel

SAND GROPER - person from Western Australia

SANDY BERET - Worn by qualified members of the Australian Special Air Service Regiment. Sand-coloured beret with metal gold and silver winged dagger badge on a black shield

SANDY BLIGHT - trachoma; at one time this was a common eye complaint/disease

SANDSHOES - sneakers; tennis shoes

SANFAIRYANN - almost finished, but it does not matter (1918)

SAN FERRY ANN - as above

SANGER or SANGA - sandwich

SANTA CLAUS - fluffy airborne seeds from thistle or similar; children used to make a wish and blow the seeds in the wind

SAO - charity biscuit - it used to be handed out by Salvation Army Officers

SAPPED - ring-barked (1871)

SARVO - this afternoon

SASR - The Special Air Service Regiment - an elite special forces unit of the Australian Army. Formed in 1957, motto Who Dares Wins. Entire Regiment and Special Operations Task Group of 3,000 soldiers treated disgracefully by feckless upper echelons of the Defence Force and Government in 2020 in the wake of the Brereton Report and unproven rumours of wrongdoings allegedly committed by 25 soldiers in Afghanistan.

SAUSAGE SIZZLE - community event where BBQ sausage and sauce are served wrapped in bread. Often fund raisers eg Bunnings sausage sizzle

SAV - short for Saveloy, a hot dog-like boiled sausage served in a bread roll with tomato sauce. A battered sav is a battered saveloy which has been battered, deep fried and served with tomato sauce

SAVEE - Do you Know? (soldier slang WW1)

SAY IT DON'T SPRAY IT - WE WANT THE NEWS NOT THE WEATHER - don't spit when talking

SCAB - abusive term; non union worker

SCALE A TRAM - ride on a tram without paying a fare

SCARED THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF - frightened someone

SCHNITTY - chicken schnitzel usually purchased in a pub

SCHOOLIES - week after year 12 finish school spent partying

SCHOOL OF THE AIR - School lessons by radio for outback children

SCORCHER - very hot day

SCOTTISH MARTYRS - Thomas Palmer, William Skirving, Joseph Gerrald and Maurice Margarot arrived on the Surprise in 1794

SCRAG - to hang on the gallows (flash language, Hardy Vaux)

SCRAN - prison ration food

SCREWS - also Fingers and blokes - prison slang for warders 1893

SCROUNGE - pilfer ( soldier slang WW1)

SCRUB - remote area of low trees and bushland

SCRUB-CATTLE - escaped cattle that run wild in the scrub(Morris 1898)

SCRUBBER - a bullock that has taken to the scrub and so become wild; also formerly used for a wild horse later known as a brumby(Morris 1898)

SCRUBBER - another term for croppy

SCRUBBER - promiscuous woman

SECRET BALLOT - Also known as Australian ballot - when a voter's choices in an election or a referendum are anonymous, forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation, blackmailing, and potential vote buying. First implemented in 1856

SEE A MAN ABOUT A DOG - go to the toilet

SELECTOR - farmer who is was allowed to occupy a small portion of a squatter's holding and farm it

SEND HER DOWN HUEY - (Hughie); a response to the onset of rain; can't get enough of it

SENT OUT - transported to Australia as a convict

SEPPO - someone from America - from septic tank (rhyming slang for Yank)

SERVO – Service Station / Garage

SETTLE PETAL - relax, chill out. Don t get so upset

SETTLER'S CLOCK (also Hawkesbury Clock) - another name for the laughing jackass (Morris 1898)

SETTLER'S FRIENDS - greenhide and stringbark, which made useable rope and twine

SETTLERS' MATCHES - long pendulous strips of bark from Eucalypt trees which were readily ignited and used as kindling (Morris 1898)

SEVENTEENER - corpse (criminal slang 1940)

SHADES - Sun glasses

SHAG - to have sex

SHAG ON A ROCK - lonely; isolated

SHAGGIN' WAGON - panel van; also Bog Wagon

SHAKE - to steal or rob a person

SHAKE IT - wishes to acquire (soldier slang WW1)

SHALLOW GROUND - land with gold near the surface (Whitney 1870s)

SHAMMY - a bag of chamois leather in which miners kept their gold dust (Whitney 1870s)

SHANDY - drink; mixture of lemonade and beer

SHANDY-GAFF - drink; mixture of half beer, half of ginger beer. Sometimes other liquors are used instead of beer e.g. stout or rum

SHANGHAI - catapult made from fork of a branch and rubber strap

SHANGHAI SHOT - a short distance; a stone's throw (Morris 1898)

SHANK'S PONY - on foot

SHANTY - a rough bush house

SHANTY-KEEPER - keeper of a sly grog shop (Morris 1898)

SHARK BAIT -person swimming out further than others

SHARP AS A TACK - smart person

SHARPIES - youth group c. 1960's. Alternative to hippies

SHAZZA - Sharon

SHEARER'S JOY - a name given to colonial beer (Morris 1898)

SHEPHERD (to) - to watch, to guard; e.g. on the football field

SHEARER'S STRIKE - In 1891 the Shearer's Strike occurred in Queensland and a State of Emergency was declared. The Moreton Mounted Infantry was called-out to re-establish and maintain civil order and discipline. They were placed on full time duty for five months and served in the Barcaldine, Clermont, Longreach and Charleville districts

SHE ASKED ME WHAT TYPE OF CONTRACEPTIVE I USE. UNDERWEAR - KEEPING IT ON PREVENTS PREGNANCY. - Melina Marchetta, quote from movie Looking for Alibrandi

SHED - formerly a woolshed, often a large expensive building(Morris 1898)

SHEEP PEST - perennial rosaceous herb, the hardened calx tube in fruit is beset with bard spines making it a serious nuisance in wool (Whitney 1895)

SHEEPSKIN - the skin of a sheep fastened to the end of a long stick as used for beating out bush-fires (Whitney, 1870's)

SHEILA – an Australian female; not derogatory; from the Irish word for a girl shelagh

SHELF - police informer (criminal slang 1950)

SHELL-GRINDER - another name for the Port Jackson Shark

SHE'LL BE APPLES - all will be ok

SHE'LL BE RIGHT - In the face of adversity, everything will be ok

SHEMOZZLE - mixed up mess

SHE-OAK - tree of the genus casuarina

SHE-OAK - slang name for colonial beer (Morris 1898)

SHE-OAK NETS - nets placed on each side of a gangway from a ship to the pier to prevent salors who have been indulging in she oak beer falling into the water (Morris 1898)

SHEPHERD- to guard a mining claim and do a little work on it so as to preserve legal rights (Morris 1898)

SHEPHERD'S COMPANION - the willy wagtail, which often rides on the sheep's back pulling out the wool for it's nest

SHE'S CACTUS - broken

SHE'S RIGHT MATE - everything is alright

SHICER - barren mine. Yiddish. Gold rush days

SHICER - a swindler or a crook (1946)

SHICKERED - drunk. Jewish origin

SHICKERY - shabby, bad, shaky, doubtful

SHINDIG - party

SHIRALEE- swag

SHIRT-FRONTING - confront an opponent eg football. Brought back in use by Tony Abbott - 'Look, I’m going to shirt-front Mr. Putin … You bet I am '

SHIRT OUT - (to have one's); to be angry

SHIRTY - irritated and annoyed

SHIT HAPPENS - dismissive of misfortune

SHITHOUSE - something that is bad

SHIVOO - a party

SHODDY DROPPER - a hawker of inferior clothing

SHOE-FLIER - thief who specialises in snatching handbags (criminal slang 1925)

SHOE-IN - certain to win, horseracing

SHONKY - of dubious quality

SHORTY - a tall person

SHOOTING STICK - rifle (soldier slang WW 1)

SHOOT STRAIGHT YOU BASTARDS. DON'T MAKE A MESS OF IT - reported to be the last words of Harry (Breaker) Morant as he faced the firing squad in South Africa in 1902 (Boer War)

SHOOT THROUGH – To leave

SHOOT THROUGH LIKE A BONDI TRAM - leave in haste

SHOTGUN - Claiming the front passenger seat (from stage coach days)

SHOUT - buy a drink for others in a pub

SHOUT OVER THE PITCHER - to brag bout one's shooting or hunting (Whitney 1870s)

SHOW - a chance, an opportunity, a turn. To have no show means to have not a chance

SHOW - party

SHOW PONY - person who shows off

SHOW THE ROPES - show how things are done

SHUT YOUR FACE - impolite way of saying stop talking

SHYPOO - a sly grog shop

SICK AS A DOG - very sick

SICKIE – or ‘pull a sickie’- take a day off when you aren’t actually sick

SILENT COP - yellow metal or concrete dome used at intersections

SILLY AS A TWO BOB WATCH - act silly

SILLY COOT - foolish man; simpleton; derived from bandicoot

SILLY GALLAH - foolish person

SILLY SAUSAGE - silly person

SILVER CITY - Broken Hill

SILVER BODGIE - Bob Hawke called this by the media because of his silver hair worn in the bodgie style

SILVERTAIL - bush term for a 'swell'; insult invoking the class divide. Used to describe someone who is privileged or socially prominent. Also a social climber

SIMPSON AND HIS DONKEYS - full name John Simpson Kirkpatrick. A hero digger at Gallipoli, who with his donkeys brought in the wounded in the first weeks of the Landing. He was killed by a Turkish bullet on 19th May 1915

SING OUT - let another know that assistance is required or that something is ready

SINK THE BOOT IN - attack someone who is down

SIT-DOWN MONEY - Welfare including unemployment benefits, especially welfare paid to indigenous people

SIT UP LIKE JACKEY - sit up straight

SIX BOB A DAY TOURISTS - in reference to daily wage for soldiers in WW1 of six shillings per day

SIX O'CLOCK SWILL - last-minute rush to buy drinks at a hotel bar before it closed at 6PM

SIX OF ONE, HALF DOZEN OF THE OTHER - whatever decision you make will not likely affect the outcome of the situation

SIXER OR EIGHTER - prisoner slang for six or eight ounce loaf (1884 Pentridge Gaol)

SIX-PEN'ORTH - prison slang for six months in gaol

SKEDADDLE - go away; leave

SKERRICK - the smallest bit; to have not a skerrick is to be broke

SKEWIFF - askew

SKINNED - to be on the look-out for the main chance

SKINNY AS A RAKE - looking too thin

SKINT - no money

SKIPPY THE BUSH KANGAROO - Children's TV program 1968 - 1970

SKIRTING - in sheep shearing the inferior parts of the wool taken from the extremities (Morris 1898)

SKITE - to boast; a show-off

SKITTLED - killed (soldier slang WW1)

SKOFF - to gobble up food (Whitney 1895)

SKOW-BANKER - a fellow who loiters about the premises of any one willing to support him, and who objects to the necessity of working for his living; a rogue, a rascal. Common in Melbourne. (Hotten 1874)

SKULL – To down a beer

SKULLBANKER or Scowbanker - a slang name in Australia for a loafer, a tramp (Morris 1898)

SKY PILOT - a parson

SKY THE RAG - give in; throw a towell into the air in token of surrender

SLAB – A carton of beers

SLACK - lazy

SLACKARSE - lazy

SLAG - promiscuous woman

SLAP UP - good

SLEDGE - to needle a player - on the cricket field etc

SLEEP OUT - verandah used as sleeping quarters esp. in Queenslander houses

SLEEPY LIZARD - blue tongued lizard

SLEPT LIKE A LOG - had a sound sleep

SLICE - one pound note (criminal slang 1950s)

SLICK - quick

SLIDE NIGHT - evening when family or friends gathered to watch projected slides and movies of holidays and other events - 1950s and 1960s

SLING - or corner - have a share in a haul (criminal slang 1950s)

SLING OFF AT - to jeer and mock another

SLING SHOT - catapult. Also called shanghai

SLING YOUR DADDLE - give me your hand; shake hands

SLIP SLOP SLAP - Cancer Council slogan

SLIPPERY AS AN EEL - sly character

SLITHER (to) - to hurry away

SLOSHED - drunk

SLOUCH HAT - first worn by military forces in Australia in 1885. Looped up on one side so that rifles could be held at the slope without damaging the brim

SLOW AS A WET WEEK - too slow

SLUDGE LAMPS - also SLUSH LAMPS; a crude lamp burning slush, tallow, or grease

SLUG UP - frame up

SLUGGOS - mens' brief tight swimming trunks - 'budgie smugglers'

SLUSHER - cook's assistant at shearing time on a station(Morris 1898)

SLUSHY - (nautical)- the cook. derived from slush, grease obtained from boiling salt pork

SLY GROG - illegal alcohol

SLY GROG SHANTY - place here liquor as sold without a license

SMART ALEC - someone who thinks they know everything

SMART ARSE - someone who thinks they know everything

SMASH - panicking cattle likely to be injured

SMASHED AVO - toast topped with mashed avocado served in cafes

SMASHER - owner of counterfeit coin (criminal slang 1925)

SMITHER - to maim or destroy. Bushranging term

SMOKE - slang for the 'push' or larrikin to get away as fast as possible from the scene of their crime (Morris 1898)

SMOKES LIKE A CHIMNEY - heavy smoker

SMOKO - morning/ afternoon tea break

SMOOGE - to cringe; to fawn. To curry favour at the expense of independence. Jewish origin

SMOOGER - one who fawns

SNAFFLE - take it up quickly; steal, grab or borrow

SNAG – Sausage

SNAGGER - a shearer who rushes, shearing a sheep roughly

SNAILEY - bullock with horn slightly curled (Morris 1898)

SNAKE GULLY - a country race course; imaginary country town from 1930s radio series Dad and Dave

SNAKE JUICE - strong drink (whiskey)

SNAKE-HEADED - quarrelsome in his cups

SNAKY - hostile, sly, angry comment or behaviour

SNAKE YARN - a tall tale

SNARLER - dishonorable discharge (Army 1945)

SNAVVLE / SNAFFLE - take by stealth, capture, steal

SNEEZE GRASS - In Cape York Peninsula when the Dingoes chase the kangaroos, the roos race across patches of sneeze grass which gives dingoes hay fever. While the dingoes stop to sneeze the roos escape

SNIDE - counterfeit coin (criminal slang 1925)

SNINNY - young girl

SNORKER - sausage (WW2)

SNORT - (to) to be enraged at something

SNOUT - tobacco (prison slang c. 1893)

SNOWED UNDER - having a lot of work to do

SNOWY BAKER - Reginald Leslie Baker, born in Sydney 1884. All round Australian sportsman. Won silver at the London Olmypics 1908

SNOWY MOUNTAINS SCHEME - hydro electricity and irrigation development begun in Ben Chiefley Government 1949

SNUFF - to die

SNUFFLEBUSTER - a term for Methodist (1896)

SOAK-HOLE - an enclosd place in a stream in which sheep are washed (Morris 1898)

SO HUNGRY COULD EAT A HORSE AND CHASE THE RIDER - Very hungry

SO HUNGRY COULD EAT THE ARSE OUT OF A LOW-FLYING DUCK - Very hungry

SOLAR PLEXUS - William Lawless, Australian Boxing doyen and supporter of boxer Les Darcy

SOLDIER - to make temporary use of another man's horse, thus a man wanting to mount catches the first one he can, rides it to his destination and then lets it go (Whitney 1870s)

SOLLICKER - something excessive (Franklin)

SO LONG - signifying good-bye

SONG AND DANCE - make a noise or fuss about something

SOOK - coward or timid person

SOOKY LA LA - Someone who whinges about things in a childish way

SOOL - to incite; time for a player or jockey or boxer to put forth his utmost effort to win

SOS - Member of the Signal Corp (military)

SOUTHERLY BUSTER - cool wind change after a hot day. NSW

SOUTHERN CROSS - the constellation of the Southern Cross is regarded as the astronomical emblem of Australia eg 'beneath the Southern Cross'


SOUTHERN CROSS FLAG - Has a dark blue field with a central white symmetric cross consisting five eight-pointed stars, representing the Crux constellation. The design was first used in the Eureka Rebellion of 1854.

SO WINDY IT WILL BLOW A DROVER'S DOG OFF THE CHAIN - very windy

SOZZLED - drunk

SPADE-PRESS - a make shift wool press in which the fleeces are rammed down with a spade (Morris 1898)

SPAG BOG - spaghetti bolognaise

SPARKIE - electrician

SPARK WELL - be in good health (1918)

S.P. BOOKIE - Starting price bookmaker - one who receive bets at fixed odds or starting price away from the race track

SPECK (THE) - mainland term for Tasmania

SPEEDO - speedometer on car

SPEEDOS - swimmers developed in 1928

SPELL - a period of rest from duty

SPEND A PENNY - go to the toilet - (female)

SPEWIN' - angry; disappointed

SPIDER - a glass of lemonade with a scoop of ice cream added

SPIFLICATE - hurt or punish someone

SPILL - deliberately create a vacancy in cabinet or political party

SPILL YOUR GUTS - tell all

SPIN - or full hand - sentence of five years in jail (criminal slang)

SPIN A YARN - tell a tall story

SPIN OR SPINNAKER - a five pound note

SPINNER - 50 pounds

SPINNER (COME IN) - shout in the game of two-up; also the title of a famous novel set in Sydney in the 1940s

SPIT THE DUMMY - tantrum

SPITTING CHIPS - angry, frustrated

SPLAYD - eating utensil that combines a spoon, fork and knife in one, invented in Sydney by William McArthur 1940's

SPLIT - detective (criminal slang 1925)

SPLITTER - a wood-cutter, cutting timber in the bush and splitting it into posts and rails(Morris 1898)

SPONGER - a bludger

SPORT - slightly agressive term for someone disliked

SPOT - 100 pound note (criminal slang 1950s)

SPOT ON - exact, true

SPRAG - accost truculently, usually a prelude to a stoush, that is a bout with fists

SPRAT - sentenced to six months in jail; also a sixpenny piece

SPREAD - food on table

SPRING HEEL - a man who on joining a fighting unit immediately finds a means of leaving it (WW1)

SPRING THE PLANT - to spring the plant was to discover a bushranger's plant or recover articles from the plant

SPROG - one of inferior rank (WW2)

SPROGG - offspring

SPRUCE - to exaggerage or pull the leg (criminal slang 1925)

SPRUIK - deliver a long harangue about nothing in particular

SPUD - potato

SPUD BARBER - man on kitchen fatigue (soldier slang WW2)

SPUNK - sexually attractive person

SPUNKRAT - sexually attractive person of opposite sex usually male

SPUNKY - full of spirit
SPRUIKER - a persuasive talker

SQUARE-HEAD - also cleanskin. A new crook who has had no previous convictions (criminal slang Sydney 1950)

SQUARE UP - settle accounts

SQUATTER - person who occupies uninhabited land or building to which they had no title, as sheep runs in 1820s - 1840s and established themselves as 'the squattocracy'

SQUATTOCRACY - a play on aristocracy, referred to squatters and the social and political power they wielded

SQUEALERS - Provost Corps (military)

SQUIZ - have a look

STACK - car crash

STACK HAT - also crash hat - bicycle helmet

STAGER - one who fakes an injury or shows off (from Australian Rules football)

STAND A HAND - shout a drink c. 1892

STANDOVER MAN - extortionist

STAR HOTEL RIOTS - The Star Hotel riot, caused by the closure of the popular Star Hotel, was one of the largest riots in Australian history. It occurred on the night of 19 September 1979

STARKERS- naked

STATION - large ranch

STATION-JACK - a form of bush cookery using salt beef and flour (Morris 1898). Recommended by Caroline Chisholm

STEADY ON - slow down

STEAMER - kangaroo tail stew (1945)

STEEL CITY - The BHP Newcastle steelworks opened in 1915 and during the years of World War 1 the steelworks became an important supplier of steel for ships and other armaments. Until the steelworks closed in 1999, Newcastle was known as steel city

STEP THE GUTTER - pass the butter (soldier slang WW1)

STEW - a framed case (Army 1945)

STICK AROUND - wait around

STICK BY - support a person

STICK OF WEED - gaol term; an ounce of tobacco used in gambling

STICK OUT LIKE A SHAG ON A ROCK - stand out; lonely

STICKY BEAK - nosy person

STIFF - letter to inmate from a recently discharged prisoner announcing his intention of planting a swag near the prison (c. 1893)

STIFF - too bad!

STIFF AS A CRUTCH - rigid posture

STILL KICKING - still alive

STINGER - jellyfish

STINKER - very hot day

STINKING HOT - unbearable heat

STIR THE POSSUM - excite interest; liven things up; create mischief to get a reaction

STOCKYARD - enclosed area for cattle

STOCKROUTE - a right of way through the land of a squatter which must be unobstructed for the use of cattle or sheep to pass through

STOCK WHIP - whip made of a long, tapered length of flexible, plaited leather with a stiff handle for mustering cattle

STOCK RIDER - a man employd to look after cattle on an unfenced station

STOCK STATION - ranch or stock farm

STOKED – Happy, Pleased

STOLEN GENERATIONS - this emotive phrase refers to aboriginal children taken from their families. It was first coined by Peter Read, Professor of History at the Australian National University dated 1981


STONE MOTHERLESS - totally, absolutely (last); used to describe the performance of the horse you had your money on; also Stone Motherless broke

STONE THE CROWS - expression of amazement

STONEY BROKE - having no money

STONKER - exterminate, kill, strike out

STONKERED - dead; (see this 1919 article)

STONKERED - very drunk or knocked out

STOOK - handkerchief (prison slang c 1893)

STOOP - petty thief (criminal slang 1940)

STOP FAFFING AROUND - don't waste time

STOP MUCKING AROUND - stop wasting time

STOP ONE - to receive a blow. (Digger Smith C.J. Dennis)

STOP WORRYING, NOBODY GETS OUT OF THIS WORLD ALIVE - Clive James

STORE CATTLE - lean cattle bought for fattening by squatters who found that they had more grass than the natural increase of their herd required (Whitney 1870s)

STORM STICK - umbrella

STOUSH - to punch with a fist; fight

STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN - honest person


STRAIGHT TO THE POOL ROOM - something highly valued. From movie The Castle

STRAPPED FOR CASH - short of money

STRAW BAIL - inadequate or non existant bail (criminal slang 1950s)

STRAW HAT PUSH - larrikin gang prevalent in Sydney 1870s - 1890s

STRAYA – Australia

STRETCH - name for a tall person

STRETCH - prison term for a year in gaol c. 1893

STRETCH IN THE JUG - imprisonment c. 1898

STREWTH - God's truth - mild oath expressing surprise

STRIDES - trousers

STRIFE - trouble

STRIKE A LIGHT exclamation of disappointment


STRIKE ME DEAD - exclamation of frustration

STRIKE ME PINK - expression of shock or surprise

STRIKE ME LUCKY - expression of astonishment - attributed to Roy Rene ('Mo' of theatre partnership Stiffy and Mo)

STRINE - Australian Slang

STRINGERS - gold digger slang - now and then a good payable prospect which induces men to raise a paddock of dirt when washed has little value

STRINGY-BARK - One of a class of Australasian gum trees distinguished by a tenacious fibrous bark. Used often for fences (Whitney 1895)

STRINGYBARK - sundowner, tramp, dry hash

STRINGY-BARKER - small farmer

STRINGYBARK COCKATOO - a poor farmer

STUBBIES - men's shorts 1970's

STUBBY – a bottle of beer

STUBBY HOLDER – polystyrene insulated holder to keep beer cold

STUFFED – Tired

STUFF IT - exclamation of defeat

STUFF UP - blunder, failure

STUMPED - confused

STUMP JUMP PLOUGH - Invented by Richard and Clarence Bowyer Smith 1876. Allowed the plough to jump over stumps so the undercarriage was not damaged. More Australian Inventions


STUMP ORATOR - or On the Stump. A politician who will speak from any available soapbox about any issue that comes up. Also used in America and UK

STUNNED MULLET (face like a,)- shocked look

SUCH IS LIFE - expression or resignation to life's misfortunes

SUCKED IN - tricked

SUCK UP TO - ingratiate oneself

SUGAR BABY - Militia man. No overseas service. c. 1940s

SUGAR BAG - prison warden who is too easy going with his men (c 1893)

SUGAR BAG - a nest of honey; stores of the wild bee

SUMMER OF SORROW - referring to January 2011 floods and cyclones in Queensland

SUNBURNT COUNTRY - from Dorothea Mackellar's poem 'My Country'

SUNDOWNER - itinerant worker/ swagman who often appeared at stations at sunset in search of work; also stringybark or dry hash (1887)

SUNDY- Sunday

SUNNIES– Sunglasses

SUPER AND SLANG - watch and chain

SUPERINTENDENT - manager of a cattle station or sheep run

SUPPLEJACKS - creepers, lianas

SURFER'S - shorter version of Surfer's Paradise on the Gold Coast

SUSS - Suspicious

SUSS IT OUT - to figure out a tricky situation

SUSSO - the susso referred to sustenance (welfare) payments, especially during the Great Depression

SWAG - bundle consisting of large blanket rolled up with belongings and worn as a roll passing over the right shoulder under the left arm, the luggage of a man who humps it; also drum (1887)

SWAG – Single bed you can roll up, a bit like a sleeping bag.

SWAG - bushranger term - loot, plunder

SWAGGER - same as swagman (Whitney 1895)

SWAGGIE - swagman

SWAGMAN - a man who travelled the roads in search of employment, so called because he carried his swag

SWAMPED BY ASIANS - term used by Paul Hanson in maiden speech to parliament

SWEAT, DUST AND BEER..THERE'S NOTHING ELSE OUT HERE MATE! - quote from Ted Kotcheff's 1971 film Wake in Fright

SWEATER - horse thief

SWEET - very good; satisfactory

SWEET AS - awesome

SWEET BUGGER ALL - nothing

SWIG - drink

SWINGING THE LEAD - evading service; malingering (soldier slang WW1)

SWINJER - something excellent

SWING THE BANJO - to dig (soldier slang WW1)

SWIZZLE - drink

SWY - the game of twoup

SWY - two shillings (criminal slang 1950s)

SYDNEY DUCKS - also Sydney Coves. Thugs, scoundrels, thieves, ex convicts etc who headed to San Francisco during the 1849 Gold Rush where they set up nefarious grog shops and lodging houses. They wore duck trousers with cabbage tree hats. Duck was a cheap hard-wearing canvas fabric used for clothing in Australia

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE - performing arts complex on situated at Benelong Point, Sydney Harbour

SYDNEY OR THE BUSH - All or nothing. In two-up to risk all on the toss of a coin

SYDNEY PUSH - The Sydney Push was a predominantly left-wing pseudo-intellectual subculture flourished in Sydney from the late 1940s to the early 1970s

SYDNEY-SIDER - one who hails from Sydney

SYDNEY-SIDER - a convict (Whitney 1870s)

SYDNEY TO HOBART YACHT RACE - held on Boxing Day. Starts in Sydney and finishes in Hobart