G'day JennieG (and leeneia),

That Glossary is interesting and handy for leeneai's list. Interestingly, it doesn't cover "spoiling the Egyptians" or "Honkers" ... probably because both were seen as not being "Australianisms". I certainly always thought og "Honkers" as an affected Englishism for Hong Kong ... and, as Kent Davis suggests, "spoiling the Egyptians" is biblical.

Rowan's details on Fitzroy (the inner-Melbourne suburb) were interesting ... but didn't really cover "Fitzroy cocktail" (but the Glossary does!). I automatically took it to be a rough alcohol mixture ... usually 'metho (methylated spirits) plus something to disguise the sickening taste of turpentine, which had been substituted for the poisonous methyl alcohol (what the Americans generally call 'wood alcohol') so the drinkers only felt ill - but didn't die (... often ...).

In Sydney the equivalent would be a "white lady" - metho and milk (and, these days, the brand name of a low-price funeral service!).

Regards,

Bob (who has spent spent a night or two sleeping rough on a park bench in Fitzroy Gardens!)