Cockies are defined as small farmers in comments relating to the Australian song "Cockies of Bungaree." The following at https://mainlynorfolk.info/lloyd/songs/cockiesofbungaree.html refers specifically to A.L. Lloyd's rendition of the song:

"Cockies are small farmers. Bungaree is sixteen kilometres east of Ballarat in Victoria."

"There is some pretty poor country around Bungaree. Perhaps that was what made the cockies such skinflints thereabouts. They tell of one cocky so mean before he put the milk on the hand's table, he used to skim it on top; then when no one was looking, he'd turn it over and skin it on the bottom as well. Perhaps it was the same fellow who was so tight, he laid off the hands of his watch. The great Bungaree song began life as the doleful complaint of a potato lifter."

Come all you weary travellers that's out of work just mind,
You take a trip to Bungaree and plenty there you'll find.
Have a trial with the cockies, you can take it straight from me,
I'm very sure you'll rue the day you first saw Bungaree. ...

[Full lyrics at ref'd site]

Bob