Meanings...

TRANSLATION - FAIRDINKUM

Peter is very interested where words come from and has a theory about the word Fairdinkum.  He had a Chinese Cantonese guest do a Translation of FAIRDINKUM  

And they reckoned it translates to THIS GOLD!!!  

Which seems to make sense as during the gold rush, there were many Chinese people on the gold fields.  And there was sometimes fools gold and the Chinese were the best at seeing weather it was real or not.

DEE – this GUM – gold  =DEE GUM  ;  Exact translation of DEE & GUM as accurate as can be.  

So when someone asks  “is that fair dunkum”  they are asking is it real!!

Waltzing Matilda

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,
under the shade of a coolabah tree. And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled. You’ll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

CHORUS
(Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda.
You’ll come a Waltzing Matilda with me,
And he sang as he sat and waited till his billy boiled,
You’ll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.)

Down came a jumbuck to drink at the billabong,
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag,
You’ll come a Waltzing matilda with me."

REPEAT CHORUS

Up rode a squatter mounted on his thoroughbred,
Down came the troopers-one-two-three,
Where’s that jolly jumbuck you’ve got in your tucker bag,
You’ll come a Waltzing Matilda with me."

REPEAT CHORUS

Up jumped the swagman and sprang into the billabong, "You’ll never catch me alive," said he. And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong, You’ll come a Waltzing Matilda with me."

Cattle terms

Beast         General term for cattle
Coaches     Quiet cattle ofter used to lead wilder ones
Milkers       Cow used for suppling milk for the household
Steer          Castrated male
Cow            Female who has had a calf
Bull            Male able to breed
Bullock       Large casterated male
Heifer          Female who has never had a calf
Calf             Baby
Weaner       Baby no longer suckeling from the mother
Poley          Beast with no horns
Baldy          face White markings over face and eyes

Branding     Way of farmer identifying his cattle from others,
                  it is law in Australia to brand our cattle. The
                  brand is a metal shape/symbol heated and
                  pressed against skin of beast to leave a
                  permanent mark.