11 Australian Abbreviations You Should Know

Australians love to abbreviate their words. Is it because we are lazy? Perhaps. But for the most part it’s because we enjoy having a good yarn (chat) so often, we wouldn’t get anything done if we didn’t leave out a few syllables here and there. If you find yourself in a bind (a difficult situation), this list will have you fluent in abbreviated Australian in no time.

‘Barbie’

Let’s start off with an easy one. Barbie is an abbreviation for barbeque, one of the most beloved Australian pastimes. If someone invites you over for a barbie, it means they want to forge a connection and deepen the bond you already share. It’s the ultimate occasion where mateship is truly formed.

‘Avo’

‘Chrissie’

No, it’s not just a short version of the name Christine. ‘Chrissie’ is the abbreviation of a very popular holiday around the world – Christmas. Whether you’re celebrating it in the true Aussie way – sweltering through a cold seafood Christmas lunch – or sipping mulled wine by the fire while waiting for the roast to cook in European style, Australians celebrate Chrissie no matter where they are in the world.

‘Servo’

This one saves a lot of time. Servo is short for service station, where one can fill up with petrol (or petty), grab a snack, go to the loo, pump up the tyres, wash the windshield, and then hop back in the car and head on your way.

‘Brekkie’

Not the most imaginative of terms, but definitely one of the most ubiquitous. No one ever calls brekkie ‘breakfast’ anymore – what a waste of time. Even cafes and restaurants have embraced it on their signage, offering a Big Brekkie, Veggie Brekkie or a Brekkie Roll as part of their menu.

‘Ambo’

Here is where Aussies became super daring, and started abbreviating nouns. Ambo is interchangeable, and can apply to either an Ambulance vehicle itself, or the person driving said vehicle. Don’t get confused if you hear someone say ‘the ambo driving the ambo told me’ – just mull it over and it will click. Eventually.

‘Tradie’

A respected institution within the country. Tradie is short for tradesman, an umbrella term for anyone skilled with their hands – plumbers, carpenters, electricians, cabinet makers, glass-blowers, panel beaters, butchers (but not bakers) and candlestick makers. Not just anyone can be a tradie; you must study the trade as an apprentice for four years before becoming a fully qualified tradie.

‘Devo’

An abbreviation for the word devastated. ‘Devo’ sounds like quite a downhearted word in itself, so Australians went that extra step further and cut a few syllables off. There is a spectrum of being devo – for example, you can be devo the surf wasn’t all that great, or you can be devo your sister just passed away.

‘BYO’

Means ‘bring your own’. It can cover many classifications. BYO to a backyard barbie might mean boxed wine and a few tinnies, while if you are visiting a BYO restaurant or establishment, something a little fancier – that comes in a bottle – may be required. Ultimately, Aussies love a good BYO because it saves a lot of hard-earned money.

“All good mate, I’ll grab a slab on my way there – it’s BYO.”

‘Blowie’

A big, nasty piece of work. Imagine sitting outside in the sun, trying to enjoy your tinny, when a big, buzzing insect comes soaring around your face. You try and swat it away and end up spilling half your tinny in the process. Brute. It’s classic blowie behaviour – short for blowfly.

‘Maccas’

An Australian classic. Maccas is short for popular fast food chain McDonalds. While established in the United States, Australia really embraced the restaurant by christening it with a true-blue abbreviation. Rarely called by it’s full name by any Aussie, next time your mate asks if you want to go to Maccas, you’ll know they mean the restaurant, and not some bloke down the street called Macca.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.