Understanding Australian Slang

Australian Flag. From Wikipedia.

Problem
Waltzing Mathilda is full of words we recognize but don't understand. So is everyday conversation, whether it's Australian patrons and staff in a restaurant or shop in Sydney, Australia, bar tenders (bar men or bar women) in Earls Court in London, England, or Austrians on the ski slopes in New Zealand, Italy, Switzerland, America or Canada.

The three books I look to buy in another English speaking country are a dictionary of local language and slang, a one-volume encyclopaedia and a guidebook or book of facts.

If you have a dictionary or Thesaurus symbol on a computer o the laptop screen you can find a Theseaurus fast.

Here's a list :
Australian - English
angry as a cut snake -  angry as a bull, angry as a bear, mad as a hatter
fair dinkum - all right, OK, fair enough, that's reasonable
G-strings - thongs
outback - in the Styx, in the countryside, the back of beyond, somewhere remote, the middle of nowhere
more than you can shake a stick at - heaps of, a shed load
no worries - no trouble, no problem, never mind
sheila - female, young woman
thongs - flip flops
tucker - food, snacks (as in tuck box)

English - Australian
fair enough - fair dinkum
flip-flops - thongs
girl / lass / lassie / woman - sheila
no trouble - no worries
thongs - G-strings

You might be amused by the book Let Stalk Strine by A A Morrison, published in 1965.
More Information From
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4920118/The-origin-Australia-s-iconic-sayings.html
Macquairie Dictionary (Australian dictionary), edited by Susan Butler.
Webster's Dictionary (American English - devised by Webster who simplified American spelling for the benefit of ease and speed of immigrants. He also wrote a book of simplified grammar.)
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blotto
http://andc.anu.edu.au/australian-words/meanings-origins/all
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_English_vocabulary

Map of Australia from Wikitravel.

Perth is on the west coast; Sydney is on the east, Melbourne is in the south, and that little island off the south is Tasmania. White, to the right, is the two islands of New Zealand. You might like to book a trip to New Zealand on the same ticker which could be cheaper than an airfare to Australia then a separate ticket to New Zealand, especially if you try booking a round trip to New Zealand with a stopover at Australia on the way there or back or both.. 

Travel to Australia
http://www.australia.com/en-gb

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker, teacher of English and other languages. I have other posts on Australian and other languages, Americanisms and destinations Please share links to your favourite posts.