The streets of older suburbs, still have what were known as ‘dunny lanes’. These are laneways that allowed the dunnyman, with his cart to collect the pans. They create quite a problem with ownership as many developers, particularly in the 1960s and 70s, encroached on these public lanes when building.

Dunnies also lend themselves to humour:

Dan, Dan, the dunny man
Washed his face in a toilet can


Dunnies were seen as frail buildings that could be blown apart (by a fart or high wind). When toilets started to be built with brick the term ‘built like a brick shit house’ referred to a particular solid structure.

Dunnies were notorious for attracting blowflies that were referred to as Dunny budgies because of their large size and sound.

Each Christmas the dunnyman would leave a card - and you would leave a couple of beers.

The Aussie lingo includes the word in phrases used today:

Carry the can – do the dirty work.

Poem by Judy Jenkinson:

They were funny looking buildings, that were once a way of life,
If you couldn’t sprint the distance, then you really were in strife.
They were nailed, they were wired, but were mostly falling down,
There was one in every yard, in every house, in every town.

They were given many names, some were even funny,
But to most of us, we knew them as the outhouse or the dunny.
I’ve seen some of them all gussied up, with painted doors and all,
But it really made no difference, they were just a port of call.

Now my old man would take a bet, he’d lay an even pound,
That you wouldn’t make the dunny with them turkeys hangin’ round.
They had so many uses, these buildings out the back,
You could even hide from mother, so you wouldn’t get the strap.

That’s why we had good cricketers, or my name isn’t Crump,
We used the pathway for the wicket and the dunny door for stumps.
Now my old man would sit for hours, the smell would rot your socks,
He read the daily back to front in that good old thunderbox.

And if by chance that nature called sometime through the night,
You always sent the dog in first, for there was no flamin’ light.
And the dunny seemed to be the place where crawlies liked to hide,
But never ever showed themselves until you sat inside.

There was no such thing as Sorbent, no tissues there at all,
Just squares of well read newspaper, a hangin’ on the wall.
If you had some friendly neighbours, as neighbours sometimes are,
You could sit and chat to them, if you left the door ajar.

When suddenly you got the urge, and down the track you fled,
Then of course the magpies were there to pick you on your head.
Then the time there was a wet, the rain it never stopped,
If you had an urgent call, you ran between the drops.

The dunny man came twice a week, to these buildings out the back,
And he would leave an extra can, if you left for him a zac.
For those of you who’ve no idea what I mean by a zac,
Then your too young to have ever had, a dunny out the back.

For it seems today they call them the bathroom, or the loo,
If you’ve never had one out the back, then I feel sorry for you.
For it used to be a way of life, top race along the track,
To answer natures call, at these buildings out the back.

Traditionally Aussie cooking was based on Pommie tucker brought to the country by the British settlers. This food generally consisted of Sunday roasts, grilled chops and other forms of meat and was generally accompanied by vegetables (often known colloquially as "meat & three veg") such as mashed potatoes, beans, peas and carrots.

The barbecue remains an important part of Australian life. The 'barbie', an icon of Australian cuisine and culture, has developed and grown as a party/gathering tradition.

Another culturally significant item of cuisine is the Aussie meat pie.

The range of cuisines available in the multicultural cities of Australia has developed greatly due to a high level of immigration.

Italian, Chinese, Thai, Greek, Arab, Indian, Turkish, Vietnamese and Mexican foods are very popular and are maintained at an accomplished level of authentic quality by a thriving restaurant trade in many cities for the enjoyment of Aussies of all backgrounds.

The influx of migrants to Australia has brought many new dishes to the country and it is becoming a feature of Australian cuisine to take standard meals and add elements sourced from different cultures.