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:
It sticks out like a dunny in a desert,
All alone like a country dunny.
Carry the can – do the dirty work.
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