The Fair Dinkum Aussie Motoring Dictionary

The whole idea of the Australian way of saying things is to make words shorter and easier to get out, which is like acronyms. Great, if you’re in on it. Absolutely mystifying if you’re not.

But it’s not just the shortening, then adding o’s. Probably due to a synthesis of Victoria Bitter and heat stroke, there’s also a shot of bizarreness involved.

And if you’ve been wondering what Aussie terms like “drongo” or “battler” mean, and how you can adopt them into your multicultural vocabulary, I’ve got the thing for you. It’s called Urban Dictionary. Here, however, are the most important, day-to-day terms you’ll come across whilst motoring Down Under - and more to the point, exactly what's meant by them.

Actually, drongo’s probably important. It means a foolish person, in a Nissan Tiida.

UTE

The best type of car body.

V8 UTE

Even better.

SERVO

The service station. Also, a place to get a bad meat pie.

BINGLE

A car crash.

FIREYS

The people who will turn up and cut your door off.

AMBOS

The people who will then say, "Lie still, mate. We're just moving you."

BATHURST

Capital city of Australia.

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PETER BROCK

The only person in Australia you can't disrespect. Said "Bite off more than you can chew. Then chew like hell."

Also called Peter Perfect, The King of the Mountain, and Brocky.

HOLDEN

Australia's original and greatest car brand, or the shorthand for Barely Holden Together, depending on who you ask.

Also, a euphemism for Daewoo.

FORD

Acronym for First On Race Day, or Fix Or Repair Daily, depending on who you ask.

BITSAREMISSING

Mitsubishi. Not depending on who you ask.

TORANA

The 1974 Holden LH Torana SLR 5000. The best Aussie muscle car.

GTHO PHASE THREE

The 1971 Ford XY Falcon GT-HO Phase III. The best Aussie muscle car.

THONGS

The reason Australians drive barefoot.

SHE'LL BE RIGHT

What's said when the engine temp light goes on, or the indicators on the trailer don't work.

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MACCAS

McDonalds. The default rendezvous for road trip convoys, and even if your wife has packed rolls for everyone, you'll still end up there for lunch.

BOOZE BUS

The mobile stop between the Random Breath Test and the back of the paddy wagon, where you'll have a blood alcohol test just to prove what you both already know.

Also, a pub's courtesy bus to prevent that exact thing happening.

KAYS

Kilometres. Or Kilometres Per Hour.

SPEEDO

The swimwear PM Tony Abbott wore.

Also, the instrument that displays your kays. Is always righter than the cop.

TRADIE

A repairman who will be eating a BigMac, on his phone, and changing lanes right in front of other cars at 10 kays over the speed limit. And yet somehow still be an hour late to fix your washing machine.

In a motoring context, always pejorative.

UEY

A U-turn, often when you're angry and terse because you trusted the sat-nav when you knew, deep down, it wanted to take you to the bottom of Sydney Harbour all along.

CAMIRA

The Holden JB Camira. Wheels called it the 1982 Car of the Year. It turned out to be probably the worst thing Australia ever made.

SKIPPY

Affectionate term given to a kangaroo, to assuage the fact you've just run over it.

R8

No, not the Audi. The HSV Maloo R8, a supercharged V8 ute with 410kW delivered to a light rear end.

Also, the Audi.

TRUCKIE

The man in your rear-view mirror who has the power to destroy your whole family instantly, and seems intent to.

BOGAN CAR

An old Ford Falcon or Holden Commodore with gumtree and currawong residue on the paintwork, and brashly aftermarket exhaust and rims. A burly, tattooed, and sunburnt arm, male or female, is always resting on the sill.

HOON

Someone in a V8 Commodore who does a burnout at 3am and sets the neighbourhood dogs off.

(Dave Coleman Photography)

(Dave Coleman Photography)

FOUR-WHEEL-DRIVE

The Australian sports car.

SUMMERNATS

The annual bogan hoon event, held in Canberra. There's fire and alcohol, and apparently recent ones have been more "family-friendly".

GREY NOMADS

A husband and wife who have retired, and rather than leave their selfish children an inheritance, have bought a nice car and caravan and set off across Australia until one of them dies.