This sad and famous
Australian song uses several unusual Australian words, not all of which are still in common use.
Definitions
A
swagman is a homeless and unemployed wanderer. Think
hobo or
migrant worker.
A
waltzing matilda is a reference to a walking
swagman. A swagman would roll up all his possessions in a wool blanket and tie both ends with a single strand of rope. This would make a rudimentary backpack, and as the swagman walked, the roll would progress from side to side. Hence the term "waltzing matilda".
A
billy is a kind of makeshift teapot.
A
tucker-bag holds food.
A
jumbuck is a sheep.
A
coolibah tree is a kind of
eucalyptus.
A
billabong is a creek.