Woop Woop and other imaginary places

Over the years, several terms have been coined to describe mystical and remote outposts. They exist only in our collective imagination and appear in poetry, songs, art and banter.

An empty paved road, stained orange from the dusty, scrubby, outback around it and a road sign with a jumping kangaroo, under blue sky.

There are plenty of things that make Australia an incredibly unique continent. For starters, it’s home to the longest continuous culture in the world and some of its most diverse landscapes.

As a mostly urban coastal population – around 87% of people live within 50km of the sea – we have a long-held fascination for the vast Outback, which, for many Australians, remains mysterious and unknown.

It's not surprising then, that people throughout the vast history of this land came up with some unique terms to navigate their wild home. Here are just a few that we’ve rounded up.

Woop Woop

The first appearance of Woop Woop dates to the 1890s. The name emerged around the same time as other imaginary place names including Oodnagalahbi, Bullamakanka and Bandywallop.

The repetition in Woop Woop is probably influenced by First Nations languages, which often use repetition to indicate plurality or intensity, i.e. Wagga Wagga .

Cooee

Adapted from the Dharug word ‘guu-wii’, ‘awi’ or ‘guwi’, meaning ‘come here’. Cooee has become known internationally as a call Australians make in the bush to let others know where they are, or to check if anyone else is nearby. Indeed, the next time you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere, send out a cooee and chances are that someone will reply.

Cooee has also found its way into the national vernacular, often being used to describe a place within calling distance, i.e. ‘within Cooee’.

The Black Stump

First emerging in the 19th century, the Black Stump is an imaginary marker that denotes the start of unknown regions. Anywhere beyond the Black Stump is deep in the Outback, whereas something this side of the Black Stump belongs to the known world.

The towns of Blackall, Coolah and Merriwagga all claim to be home to the original Black Stump, but it’s unlikely that there was just one single stump. It more likely refer to the blackened tree stumps used in the Outback as way finders for travellers.

The Back o’ Bourke

Bourke is, of course, a very real and fantastic town in Northwest New South Wales. With rich First Nations culture, paddle boats on the Darling River and beautiful nearby national parks, it’s well worth a road trip to check it out.

Bourke’s remote location has earned it recognition in the phrase ‘the Back o’ Bourke’. That is to say, any place past Bourke, for the vast majority of the Australian population, is pretty far away.

The Wallaby Track

This more describes a route than a place but still deserves a mention. The Wallaby Track refers to the tracks taken by seasonal workers, often referred to as swagmen, who travelled the country looking for work.

Our most famous example of a swagman on the wallaby track is immortalised in our unofficial national anthem, Waltzing Matilda. Interesting, the ‘waltzing Matilda’ refers to a swagman’s kit as he walked along the Wallaby Track.

So, whether you’re heading to Woop Woop, past the Back o’ Bourke, or keeping within Cooee, we’ll keep you moving with 24/7 roadside assistance.

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