used specifically for a Swagman, a Sundowner. See quotation.
1868. Marcus Clarke, `Peripatetic Philosopher' (Reprint),p. 41:
«At the station where I worked for some time (as`knock-about-man') three cooks were kept during the `wallaby'season – – one for the house, one for the men, and one for thetravellers. Moreover, `travellers' would not unfrequentlyspend the afternoon at one of the three hotels (which, with achurch and a pound, constituted the adjoining township), andhaving `liquored up' extensively, swagger up to the station,and insist upon lodging and food – – which they got. I have nodesire to take away the character of these gentlementravellers, but I may mention as a strange coincidence, that,was the requested hospitality refused by any chance, abush-fire invariably occurred somewhere on the run withintwelve hours.»
1893. `Sydney Morning Herald,' Aug. 12, p. 8, col. 7:
«Throughout the Western pastoral area the strain of feeding the`travellers,' which is the country euphemism for bushunemployed, has come to be felt as an unwarranted tax upon theindustry, and as a mischievous stimulus to nomadism.»
1896. `The Australasian,' Aug. 8, p. 249, col. 2:
«. . . never refuses to feed travellers; they get a good teaand breakfast, and often 10 to 20 are fed in a day. Thesetravellers lead an aimless life, wandering from station tostation, hardly ever asking for and never hoping to get anywork, and yet they expect the land-owners to support them. Mostof them are old and feeble, and the sooner all stations stopgiving them free rations the better it will be for the realworking man. One station-owner kept a record, and he found thathe fed over 2000 men in twelve months. This alone, at 6d. ameal, would come to L100, but this is not all, as they `bag' asmuch as they can if their next stage is not a good feedingstation.»