# Ozzies: What's an Astra Wally? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 18, 2006, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908 "2006-11-18T01:35:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ken001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/21 "2014-05-31T07:15:06Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Is “Wally” still in use in Australia, then? It was in very wide use in Britain, in more or less that sense, through the 1970s, but faded away in the '80s. I am pretty confident that it originated in Britain. Must say that is my impression too. We still use Wally as a sort of affectionate reference when a friend does something stupid. But you are correct, the use is fading. > [@teela\_brown](#): > > Do Australians still use the word “dag”? I remember the Paul Hogan show and how he did a character called “Super Dag”. That was a long time ago, though, and the word might be extinct. A “dag” is a knob of sheep dropping which has been caught in the wool around the rear orifice. One of the annual tasks for a sheep farmer is to “dag” his sheep which means to crutch (shear) the rear end of the animal to remove the wool which droppings can stick to. This is important because if dags build up, flies nest in them leading to maggots which bore into the living animal causing an cruel condition called “fly strike”. I recall visiting my uncle who was a cow farmer and naive about sheep of which he had a few. My dad suddenly saw with horror that there was a fly-struck sheep desperately rubbing its back end against a hedge. Dad found some kerosene and drenched the hind quarters whilst quietly swearing. It is a scene I will not forget. Anyway the term “dag” as an affectionate reference has probably disappeared in NZ and Oz by now. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/22 "2014-05-31T07:38:28Z")
I’m not Australia but I am Australian so I can confirm that at least 1/23 millionth of the country still says dag or daggy, even though I rarely need to discuss sheep hygiene. I haven’t said Wally in a long time, but I wouldn’t be surprised to hear someone else say it. It doesn’t feel archaic like cobber. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2014, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/23 "2014-06-01T08:17:19Z")
I wouldn’t have had a clue what an Astra Wally was, I don’t hear the term Wally or Dag used very much these days. Also Drongo is uncommon now. With the Americanisation of our language due to TV, a lot of the old Aussie sayings are fading away but we still have Hoons and Bogans. Mate is still common speak but Cobber has pretty much gone. I still say G’Day when I meet someone rather than Hello, always have always will. And for the Kiwis out there, I’ll take VB over DB any frigging day thank you mite. ---
**Author:** ![Ken001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2014, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/24 "2014-06-01T09:14:06Z")
> [@stui\_magpie](#): > > And for the Kiwis out there, I’ll take VB over DB any frigging day thank you mite. Aw fair suck of the sav cooze, youse shouldna dis DB. What oye cun tell ya is that VB is one of the cheapest beers here und not even students buy it. Course if ya want the nectar of the Gods, then Steinlarger is available is Oz. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2014, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/25 "2014-06-01T12:23:13Z")
I still use “daggy” as an adjective and “mate” on a regular basis, because mate, my taste can be pretty daggy at times. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2014, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/26 "2014-06-01T22:52:38Z")
Drongo is making a comeback around here. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2014, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/27 "2014-06-01T23:42:53Z")
> [@Weedy](#): > > Drongo is making a comeback around here. What is the origin of Drongo? ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/28 "2014-06-02T00:35:21Z")
It’s “Aussies” by the way. “Ozzies” are, I dunno, fans of Ozzie Osbourne or The Wizard of Oz or something I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/29 "2014-06-05T03:14:41Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > It’s “Aussies” by the way. “Ozzies” are, I dunno, fans of Ozzie Osbourne or The Wizard of Oz or something I guess. Really? I prefer “Ozzies”. I always thought “Aussies” was the American version 🙂 I used to go by the username Caz of Oz back in the day. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/30 "2014-06-05T04:03:27Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > What is the origin of Drongo? Apparently from a racehorse named Drongo who never won a race. But for me, the word just has a good sound to it, almost as good as ‘nong’ (which has a similar meaning). ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/31 "2014-06-05T07:34:06Z")
> [@Ken001](#): > > Aw fair suck of the sav cooze, youse shouldna dis DB. > > What oye cun tell ya is that VB is one of the cheapest beers here und not even students buy it. > > Course if ya want the nectar of the Gods, then Steinlarger is available is Oz. 😃 Settle there bro, since when dd uni students have taste? And Steinlager, well it’s better than Southwark or Emu Export, I’ll give you that much.🆒😛 ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/32 "2014-08-04T00:49:07Z")
I’m a bit late to this - it’s been awhile since I vanity searched my old threads, but this made my day… > [@FuzzAddict](#): > > ‘Astra Wally’ was also a friend of mine. His real name was Allan, or ‘Cosmic Al’. Lovely guy but crazy. The Astra is a grand 1920s hotel with a huge ballroom with high balconies around 3 sides. It’s now a retirement home but in the 70s and 80s it was a wild rock n roll pub where many famous bands played 7 nights a week, such as Men at Work, AC/DC, The Angels, Rose Tattoo, INXS… you name it they played there. …and this BLEW MY MIND: > [@Shakester](#): > > **Custom Credit** was a sleazy loan company that ran irritating ads on Australian late night TV in the 80s. The song is told from the perspective of someone who fell for their crap and is caught in a spiral of debt. > > ETA: Example: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqbUV70DRj8](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqbUV70DRj8) GIVE US SOME WAH WAH DIRTY. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/33 "2014-08-04T03:57:36Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > What is the origin of Drongo? The racehorse was probably based on the bird family of that name. ---
**Author:** ![Tory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/41988e/32.png) [@Tory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tory)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/34 "2015-06-29T20:52:56Z")
Don’t know for sure, cause I was trying to look it up myself. I used to See Rose Tattoo when I was a kid. There was a pub/hotel at Bondi Beach named the Astra, where the Tatts performed a few times. It was kind of a rough place, that I wasn’t really supposed to go. Maybe that is where the name came from? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/35 "2015-06-29T21:25:36Z")
FTR, Pontiac produced a little station wagon called an Astra in the late '70s. I bought a used one in the mid-80s, and it was an absolute piece of shit! ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/36 "2015-07-01T03:30:35Z")
> [@Eliahna](#): > > Really? I prefer “Ozzies”. I always thought “Aussies” was the American version 🙂 Other way round, they can’t pronounce Aussie properly so rely on Oz. Though due to it’s brevity I have dropped an Oz occasionally (oo-er) ---
**Author:** ![bluezooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@bluezooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluezooky)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/37 "2015-07-01T08:44:30Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > It’s “Aussies” by the way. “Ozzies” are, I dunno, fans of Ozzie Osbourne or The Wizard of Oz or something I guess. Ozzies come come from that country called Oz, Aussie seems to be fading away in favour of Ozzie for the most part. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/38 "2015-07-02T05:22:20Z")
> [@buns3000](#): > > Kudos to the OP for tackling the Aussie hard rock. Some of the lyrical references are gonna be impossible to get, esp with the Psychos. > > Also, don’t feel obliged to like VB. It has a big audience here thanks to aggressive marketing but it doesn’t actually taste good. Don’t drink Fosters either (even worse than VB). “Foster’s” - it’s strain for piss, mate. ---
**Author:** ![Rabbitoh14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ab097/32.png) [@Rabbitoh14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabbitoh14)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/39 "2018-11-11T07:30:55Z")
> [@Cazzle](#): > > Well, a Wally is a drongo, a bit of a dopey loser but not as harsh. Someone who screws everything up and always gets things wrong. An ad campaign urging us not to waste water because of the drought used the slogan “Don’t be a Wally with water” and starred a guy called Wally. > > An [Astra](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Astra) is a car. Apparently a rebadged Nissan Pulsar, so not exactly a high-powered vehicle that the cool kids would drive. Probably more of a family car. > > So I guess an Astra Wally is a drongo driving a station wagon, thinking he’s tough and cool? I can’t say I’ve ever heard the expression before, and I’m not familiar with the song. I could be waaaay off base. The Astra Hotel was a pub in Bondi… so you work it out ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908/40 "2018-11-11T07:46:11Z")
Another vote for the pub at Bondi. As a former driver of a Holden Astra [[rebadged Opel or Vauxhall Astra](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Astra)] I am shocked that anybody might have thought a wally could have been allowed to drive such a totally cool car. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzies-whats-an-astra-wally/380908.md?page=3)