Colloquial Australian English proper nouns
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The shortening the names of places, people, companies, etc. is a common feature of Australian English vocabulary. This is often done through the use of diminutives. The given names Darren and Sharon, for example are shortened to Dazza and Shazza respectively. McDonald's restaurant becomes Macca's (pronounced /'mæ.kəz/) and Woolies (as in "I'm just going to pick up some milk from Woolies") is the affectionate term given to the chain of Woolworths supermarkets.
[edit] Shortened Band names
Australian youths and general Australian music fans have a long tradition of shortening popular band names.
- Acca Dacca - AC/DC
- The Finger - Powderfinger
- The Oils (or just Oils) - Midnight Oil
- Chisel - Cold Chisel
- The Chair - Silverchair
- The Crowdies - Crowded House
- Barnesey - Jimmy Barnes
- Farnesy - John Farnham
- The Gurge - Regurgitator
- Foxy - Robin Fox
- The Puppies - Sick Puppies
- Grinners - Grinspoon
- The Mentals - Mental As Anything
- Hunters or Hunnas - Hunters & Collectors
- The Gurus - Hoodoo Gurus
- The Singing Budgie - Kylie Minogue
- SFK - Something For Kate
- The Homos - The Homicides
- True Rad - True Radical Miracle
- The Bait - Spiderbait
==Place names==
As with other proper nouns place names are commonly shortened through the use of diminutives. Sometimes, however, colloquialisms have developed in reference to certain characteristics of the area. Australia is often shortened to Oz (see also Aussie) and is also known as Down Under because of Australia's geographical location on a globe, this term was made popular due to the song Down Under by Australian band Men at Work.* Baulko – Baulkham Hills, New South Wales, also refers to Baulkham Hills High School
- Bello - Bellingen, New South Wales
- Belly South - Belgrave South, Victoria
- Benders - Bendigo, Victoria
- Bevo - Beverly Hills, New South Wales
- Blacky - Blackburn, Victoria, in particular Blackburn High School; and can also be "Blacky Maccas" refering to the McDonalds restaurant on Blackburn Road
- Broady - Broadmeadows, Victoria
- Bundo - Bundeena, New South Wales
- Bundy – Bundaberg, Queensland, also refers to Bundaberg Rum
- Bunno - Bunbury, Western Australia
- Burra - Korumburra, Victoria
- Busso - Busselton, Western Australia
- Brissie or Brissy – Brisbane, Queensland
- Brisvegas – Brisbane, Queensland, in reference to Las Vegas, Nevada
- Brisneyland - Brisbane, Queensland, in reference to Disneyland
- Brisangeles - Brisbane, Queensland, in reference to Los Angeles refering to the large scale linear development
- Brunny - Brunswick, Victoria
- Byron – Byron Bay, New South Wales
- Cabra or Stabramatta or Vietnamatta – Cabramatta, New South Wales, in reference to the high Vietnamese-immigrant population
- Campo – Camperdown, New South Wales
- Carlo – Carlingford, New South Wales
- Chaddy - Chadstone, Victoria, usually in reference to Chadstone Shopping Centre
- Chatty - Chatswood, New South Wales
- Chaps - Chapel Street, Melbourne
- Charlie - Charlestown, New South Wales
- Chezza or The Brook or Chinabrook or Chellyblook - Cherrybrook, New South Wales
- Chiggers - Chigwell, Tasmania
- Chingvale Road - Springvale Road
- Clownsville - Townsville, Queensland
- Coffs – Coffs Harbour, New South Wales
- Cranny - Cranbourne, Victoria
- Crowie – Crows Nest, New South Wales, also refers to Crows Nest TAFE and the Crows Nest Hotel
- Dandy – Dandenong, Victoria
- Darlo – Darlinghurst, New South Wales
- Denny - Deniliquin, New South Wales
- Dim - Dimboola, Victoria
- Donny - Doncaster, Victoria
- Doony - Doonside, New South Wales
- Drewy - Mount Druitt, New South Wales
- Dubs or Dubsville or Dubsvegas - Dubbo, New South Wales
- Erko - Erskineville, New South Wales
- Ermo - Ermington, New South Wales
- Franga - Frankston, Victoria
- Fredo - Frederickton, New South Wales
- Freo - Fremantle, Western Australia
- (The) Gatha - Leongatha, Victoria
- Gem town - Gembrook, Victoria
- Girra – Girraween, New South Wales, also refers to Girraween High School and Girraween National Park
- Gladdy or Gladdie - Gladstone, Queensland
- God's Country - Sutherland Shire, New South Wales
- Goldy or GC - Gold Coast, Queensland
- Gundy - Goondiwindi, Queensland
- Happyrock - Gladstone, Queensland, a play on the name.
- Henry's High - Henry Lawson High School, Grenfell - the birthplace of Henry Lawson
- HP - Hampton Park, Victoria
- Inceston - Launceston, Tasmania
- Indro – Indooroopilly, Queensland
- Knifepoint – Highpoint shopping centre, Melbourne
- Lisless - Lismore, New South Wales
- Livo - Liverpool, New South Wales
- Langy Langwarrin or Lang Lang, Victoria
- Lonnie - Launceston, Tasmania
- Maggie - Magnetic Island, Queensland
- Margs - Margaret River, Western Australia
- Maroochy - Maroochydore, Queensland
- Mc Mansion Land - Castle HillUsed by people from other (poorer) suburbs
- Melbs or Melbo - Melbourne, Victoria (only by non-residents, usually from surrounding towns)
- Mo-town - Moe, Victoria
- Morribong - the area of Morrisett, New South Wales and Coorangbong, New South Wales
- Morty - Mortdale, New South Wales
- Mt. D - Mt. Dandenong, Victoria
- Nazza Wazza - Narre Warren, Victoria
- Newie - Newcastle, New South Wales
- Normo - Normanhurst, New South Wales, also refers to Normanhurst Boys High School
- Northies - Northland, Victoria, in particular referring to Northland shopping centre
- Nulla - Cronulla, New South Wales
- Nuna - Nunawading, Victoria
- Paddo – Paddington, New South Wales, also refers to Paddington, Queensland, or the Hotel there.
- Pakky - Pakenham, Victoria
- Pally - Pallamallawa, New South Wales
- Parra – Parramatta, New South Wales, also refers to Parramatta Eels Rugby League Club
- Palmy – Palm Beach, New South Wales
- Peaky - Peakhurst, New South Wales
- Penno – Pennant Hills, New South Wales
- Penny – Penrith, New South Wales
- Penriff - Penrith, New South Wales
- Port - Port Macquarie, New South Wales
- Prinny Hill – Princes Hill, Victoria, also refers to Princes Hill Secondary College
- Reddy - Redcliffe, Queensland
- Rivo - Riverstone, New South Wales
- Rocky - Rockhampton, Queensland
- Rotto - Rottnest Island, Western Australia
- Sandy - Sandringham, Victoria
- Schoey - Schofields, New South Wales
- Scumbury - Sunbury, Victoria
- Scumshine - Sunshine, Victoria
- Seafood - Seaford, Victoria
- Sevo - Seven Hills, New South Wales
- Shepp - Shepparton, Victoria
- Shoppo - Westfield Shoppingtown, Doncaster, Victoria
- Sin City - Sydney. New South Wales
- Slumshine - Sunshine, Victoria
- Slurry - Surry Hills, New South Wales
- Snives - St Ives, New South Wales
- Sold Coast - Gold Coast, Queensland
- Springas - Springwood, New South Wales
- Springy – Springvale, Victoria
- St Africa – St Ives, New South Wales, from the large population of emigrants from South Africa.
- Steel Cock - Iron Knob, South Australia
- Straddie - Stradbroke Island, Queensland
- Subi - Subiaco, Western Australia
- Sunny Coast - Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Sunshine Hoax - Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Surfers - Surfers Paradise, Queensland
- Sutho- Sutherland, New South Wales
- T'Gon – Traralgon, Victoria
- Tammy or The Worth - Tamworth, New South Wales
- Tempy - Templestowe, Victoria
- The Alice - Alice Springs, Northern Territory
- 'The Borough - Port Melbourne, Victoria, in particular their VFL football team
- The Cross – Kings Cross, New South Wales
- The Dome - Telstra Dome, Melbourne, Victoria
- The G - The MCG - Melbourne Cricket Ground
- The G Hole - Geelong, Victoria
- The Gabba - Woolloongabba, Queensland, also refers to the cricket stadium in the suburb.
- The Go - Bendigo, Victoria
- The Gong – Wollongong, New South Wales
- The Gul - Warragul, Victoria
- The Gully - Ferntree Gully, Victoria
- The Loo - Woolloomooloo, New South Wales
- The Mount - Mount Gambier, South Australia
- The Park - Waverley Park, Victoria, former AFL venue
- The Prom - Wilsons Promontory
- The Range - Orange, New South Wales
- The Rat - Ballarat, Victoria
- The Riff – Penrith, New South Wales
- The Roy – Collaroy, New South Wales
- The 'Scray - Footscray, Victoria
- The 'Sham - Petersham and Lewisham, New South Wales
- The Shire - Sutherland Shire, New South Wales, a reference to The Hobbit
- The 'Switch - Ipswich, Queensland
- The Valley – Fortitude Valley, Queensland, also refers to the Latrobe Valley, Victoria
- Thommo - Thomastown, Victoria
- Toke - Tocumwal, New South Wales
- Toony - Toongabbie, New South Wales (alernatively redendered "Toonie" as in some registered business names. Also note the use of "Toonga Bay" self-deprecatingly by residents)
- Traf - Trafalgar, Victoria
- Trags - Traralgon, Victoria
- Torks - Torquay, Victoria
- (The) Tulla - Tullamarine, Victoria, including Tullamarine Freeway
- Tuggers - Tuggeranong, Australian Capital Territory
- Upper Gully - Upper Ferntree Gully, Victoria
- Wagga – Wagga Wagga, New South Wales (pronounced "Wogga" or "Wogga Wogga")
- Wang - Wangaratta, Victoria
- Wavo - Waverley Park, former AFL venue in Mulgrave, Victoria
- Wazza - Warrandyte, Victoria
- Wello - Wellington, New South Wales
- Wenty – Wentworthville, New South Wales
- West Penno – West Pennant Hills, New South Wales
- Whaley – Whale Beach, New South Wales
- Willy – Williamstown, Victoria
- Winch - Winchelsea, Victoria
- Woopi - Woolgoolga, New South Wales
