• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • About
  • World Map
  • Work With Us
  • Disclosure/Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

Budget Travel Talk

Road Trips Caravan Camping Australia & World on a Budget

  • Home
  • Our Blog
  • Destinations
    • Australia Travel Blog
      • New South Wales
      • Queensland
        • Cairns
        • Sunshine Coast
        • Townsville
      • Tasmania
    • Asia
      • Cambodia
      • Japan
      • Laos
      • Singapore
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Americas
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Europe
      • Bosnia and Hercegovina
      • Croatia
      • Italy
      • Montenegro
      • Portugal
      • Slovenia
      • Spain
      • Turkey
        • Istanbul
    • Africa
      • Morocco
    • New Zealand / Pacific
  • Journey
    • Road Trips
    • Trains
    • Boat Trips
  • Travel Tips
    • Reviews
    • Destination Guides
    • Itineraries
    • Self Guided Walking Tours
    • Travel Resources
    • Budget Tips
    • Buying Guides
    • Interviews
  • Accommodation
    • Airbnb
    • Caravan Parks
    • Free Camping
    • Hotels
    • Housesitting
  • Experience
    • Food to Love
    • Festivals
    • Markets
    • Palaces and Castles
    • Ruins
    • Short Walks
    • Street Art
    • Bike Rides
  • Search
  • Home
  • Our Blog
  • Destinations
    • Australia Travel Blog
      • New South Wales
      • Queensland
        • Cairns
        • Sunshine Coast
        • Townsville
      • Tasmania
    • Asia
      • Cambodia
      • Japan
      • Laos
      • Singapore
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Americas
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Europe
      • Bosnia and Hercegovina
      • Croatia
      • Italy
      • Montenegro
      • Portugal
      • Slovenia
      • Spain
      • Turkey
        • Istanbul
    • Africa
      • Morocco
    • New Zealand / Pacific
  • Journey
    • Road Trips
    • Trains
    • Boat Trips
  • Travel Tips
    • Reviews
    • Destination Guides
    • Itineraries
    • Self Guided Walking Tours
    • Travel Resources
    • Budget Tips
    • Buying Guides
    • Interviews
  • Accommodation
    • Airbnb
    • Caravan Parks
    • Free Camping
    • Hotels
    • Housesitting
  • Experience
    • Food to Love
    • Festivals
    • Markets
    • Palaces and Castles
    • Ruins
    • Short Walks
    • Street Art
    • Bike Rides
  • Search

AUSTRALIAN ICONS

November 11, 2011 By Jan Robinson Leave a Comment

This post may contain compensated links. We may earn a small percentage if you book through a compensated link, but it won’t cost you any more by doing so. You can read our full disclaimer here.


Food is important in every culture.  The food that most people think of as Australian is the meat pie or a pavlova.  However, early settlers living isolated lives in the bush and drovers who spent long periods of time on the road eating only what they could carry, created the original iconic Australian dish.

It was a bread substitute called Damper which looks like a huge scone.  If you are tough you could cook it like the aboriginals used to – straight in the ashes of a fire, but most people nowadays cook it in a camp oven (a cast iron pot with lid) placed amongst the coals of a burnt down fire.

Originally the recipe was only flour, water and salt, but modern recipes tweak it a little.  We always cook one when we go camping, especially if there are a lot of us.  A little damper goes a long way and is best eaten at the first sitting.  Temperature control by way of hot coals can be tricky and results are varied, but sliced and spread with jam, it is always a much loved, authentic Australian experience.

Traditionally served with Golden Syrup, it was then called Cocky’s joy, a Cocky being a farmer.  Golden Syrup is a by-product of the sugar refining process, Queensland being a major producer of sugar cane.

Another Australian icon, the Swagman, or Swaggie, referred to a wanderer who carried his meagre belongings in a swag on his back.  Swaggies, roamed the countryside living rough.  In return for small jobs, a farmer’s wife would give him flour to be made into damper.

Although there is no mention of it in the much loved Australian National Song*, Waltzing Matilda, the tea he made over the campfire in his billy, (a large jam tin with wire for a handle) would no doubt have been accompanied by damper, as well as an occasional Jumbuck (stolen sheep).

From one swaggie to another – see you on the road.  Jan

* Note that I say National Song, not National Anthem which is Advance Australia Fair!

Let me know in the comments bubble above or in the section below if you have a similar tradition in your Country. 

More from my site

  • FANTASTIC FRIDAY – Cat Cat VillageFANTASTIC FRIDAY – Cat Cat Village
  • Abbazia Di Sant’Antimo TuscanyAbbazia Di Sant’Antimo Tuscany
  • Things to do in Canakkale Turkey gateway to GallipoliThings to do in Canakkale Turkey gateway to Gallipoli
  • Spotlight on MoclinSpotlight on Moclin
  • Palm Creek Folk Festival Townsville (2020 Cancelled)Palm Creek Folk Festival Townsville (2020 Cancelled)
  • Aqueduct at Segovia – Photos and Transport InformationAqueduct at Segovia – Photos and Transport Information

Filed Under: Australia Travel Blog

About Jan Robinson

Jan Robinson writes about travel on her Budget Travel Talk blog. A solo traveller in her teens, for the last 40 years Jan has travelled through Australia, Asia, Europe, Turkey and New Zealand with her husband. They specialise in road trips, caravanning and Independent travel without spending a fortune. Her favourite destination is Turkey and she is currently dreaming of Myanmar and Mexico.

Previous Post: « HEADING SOUTH TO GOLDEN BEACH
Next Post: COOLUM IS COOL Coolum Beach Holiday Park Direct Beach Access»

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

Categories

Budget Travel Talk's posts relating to Australia Budget Travel Talk's posts relating to Townsville Budget Travel Talk's posts relating to Bosnia Budget Travel Talk's posts relating to Cambodia Budget Travel Talk's posts relating to Canada Budget Travel Talk's posts relating to Croatia Budget Travel Talk's posts relating to Italy Budget Travel Talk's posts relating to Laos Budget Travel Talk's posts relating to Montenegro Budget Travel Talk's posts relating to Morocco Budget Travel Talk's posts relating to New Zealand Budget Travel Talk's posts relating to Slovenia Budget Travel Talk's posts relating to Spain Budget Travel Talk's posts relating to Turkey Budget Travel Talk's posts relating to the United States of America Budget Travel Talk's posts relating to Vietnam

Pinterest

Visit Budgettraveltalk's profile on Pinterest.

Top Australian and New Zealand Blogger for 2017

Im-a-Top-Australian-and-New-Zealand-Travel-Blogger-for-2017-Medium-Rectangle-300x250px (1)

Mature Bloggers Australia

Mature Bloggers Australia

Footer

Most Popular Posts

Whitsundays on a Budget – How to Get to Whitehaven Beach

Romantic Things for Couples to do in Rome including Valentines Day

Things to Do in Huskisson and Jervis Bay

Hobart to Bruny Island: Tours from Hobart or Self Drive Bruny Island?

Ferry to Eyup Istanbul for Pierre Loti views and Eyup Sultan Istanbul Mosque 2018

About Jan & Marty

We are Jan and Marty and we love travel.

The best thing about being in our 60’s is that our travel budget is flexible, allowing us to enjoy great experiences, good food and fun people. As with most things in life, it’s all about priorities.

Copyright © 2023 Budget Travel Talk - Journey. Destination. Experience.