Meaning of Aussie salute | Babel Free

Definitions

The act of waving a hand in front of the face to flick away flies (particularly bush flies, Musca vetustissima).

Australia, humorous

Examples

“[page 46] Even the stuffy diplomats of Canberra, the nation's federal capital, seem to drop their normal besuited reserve to wave what has laughingly become known as the "Aussie salute". But expressing a jovial liking for their fellow men is not what these antipodeans are doing: they are swatting flies. [...] [page 47] Proving that the introduced beetles are affecting bushfly numbers at this early stage is an even more difficult task (the diplomats of Canberra are still waving the Aussie salute).”

“Together the blowies and the mozzies gave birth to an important piece of Australiana – the Aussie salute.”

“The flies are a different proposition. It takes a while to learn the ‘Aussie salute’, waving your hand in front of your face at regular intervals to keep the flies away. It doesn’t matter where they land, as long as you keep them off your face, out of your nose and mouth. No matter how accomplished you become at the Aussie salute, you have not really made it until you have swallowed an Aussie bush fly.”

“People may casually admire a Ulysses butterfly (and even pay to see living native butterflies as exhibits in Butterfly Houses), be fascinated by large termite mounds or trails of foraging ants, buy dragonfly larvae for fishing bait, counter bushflies with the ‘Aussie salute’, swat mosquitoes, and fear encounters with bull ants.”

“There are a lot of flies in the warmer months and it's not uncommon for tourists to wear hats with face nets to avoid them. Be prepared to do a lot of "Aussie salutes" during the day.”

CEFR level