What is a dunny in Australia?
In Australian slang, a dunny is a toilet, especially an outdoor toilet. The word is often used humorously and is linked to the old backyard toilets common before modern sewerage.
In the early 1900s, many Australian homes had an outdoor dunny at the back of the yard. These were usually small wooden or corrugated iron sheds with a pan or pit.
Nightsoil collectors, often called dunny men, emptied the pans at night. Sewerage systems later replaced these toilets in cities and towns.
Dunny humor
The dunny is a common subject of Australian jokes and stories. Redback spiders were known to hide under dunny seats, as described in the comic song Redback on the Toilet Seat.
Some outback towns hold dunny races, where people race portable toilets on wheels. The Henley-on-Todd Regatta in Alice Springs is famous for unusual races.
The word likely comes from an old British word, dunnekin, meaning toilet. Today, Australians also say loo or toilet. Dunny remains a well-known slang word, especially in rural areas.
Outdoor dunnies can still be found on some rural properties and in heritage sites.