Meaning of mulga wire | Babel Free

Definitions

1. An informal gossip network, especially in a rural area such as the outback; also, a component in the network (either a person or an imagined wire).
   Australia, New-Zealand, countable, uncountable
2. A message or story transmitted through such an informal network, especially one containing false information.
   Australia, New-Zealand, countable, uncountable
3. A system for long-distance communication used by Aboriginal Australians, chiefly using smoke signals; also, a message or signal sent using such a system.
   Australia, countable, historical, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“There is a really good sketch of Micky, the lonely boundary rider, whose wonderful stock of news comes by "the mulga wires," who is full of scandal about the squatter's rams, and is "follered" by a phantom hut of leopard-wood slabs.”

“Lumps of silver as big as your head they're picking up. So the mulga wires say.”

“"How did he receive word about the sick lubra?" / "I don't know. Mulga wire, I suppose."”

“That night, diggers from all over the field, having learnt by ‘mulga wire’ that one of their number had married Harry Albury's girl, gathered round the hut making cacophonous celebration […]”

“In the meantime, I had been receiving worrying reports about Nancy by mulga wire but could not find out for sure what was wrong.”

“‘The mulga-wire’s not working too good,’ he said by way of greeting. ‘I had no idea. When did you get back?’”

“Tom had been been out early, or had got what we call a bush telegraphy or mulga wire, for when they reached the Four Lanes he said—[…]”

“"What else did Nero say?" / "Nothin'. Only to tell you when you came home. Wandin sent him the mulga wire, I suppose."”

CEFR level