Inspiration for stories comes from many places. The locations I often write about are often in remote places where you might drive for three or four hours and not see a town. But it's often hard to convey the sheer size of the country, so we use a bit of slang when we talk of distance.
My first novel, Gemtown, was loosely based on places around the Central Queensland gemfields. The "outback" in Aussie terms. While not quite "out woop woop" (which confusingly, as well as a distance, often might refer to a place that is very remote), we might say "ah, it's miles from nowhere" or, alternatively, "in the middle of nowhere."
Once you get out of cities, things are mostly "miles away" but if someone asks we usually say ah, it's just down the road. An hours drive is nothing in the outback. So, when you ask an Aussie how far something is, always check!
How Far is it to .......?
Australia's a big place. Very big. And when you're "out bush" or "outback" (a remote, or rural, area) we tend to talk about distances a little differently. Firstly, we often don't refer to how far something is away - as in physical distance (eg in miles or kilometres). We tend to say things like "ah, it's just down the road." The exact distance might be quite variable - from a five or ten minute drive to one of perhaps half an hour. This often confuses traveller's who might assume just down the road is a few hundred metres away.
Here's a list of the way we refer to distances:
Just down the road:
This is the most common phrase, and it can mean anything from a short distance to a few kilometers, or even further. When an Australian uses this phrase, it's wise to clarify the exact distance. For "bushies" (people who live in rural areas) it might mean 100 kilometres. Or more.
Not far:
Similar to "just down the road," this phrase indicates a relatively short distance, but the exact length can vary. It could be 200 kilometres. Or 20. Depends who you talk to.
A bit of a hike:
This phrase suggests a shorter distance than "just down the road," implying a short stroll on foot. Don't be fooled. This could be perhaps a 300 plus kilometre drive.
Miles away:
As in, " ah, its miles away." This could be a very long way away indeed, perhaps a 6 hour drive.
Woop Woop / Out woop woop:
Alternatively, "a bloody long way" or "a fair distance," this refers to a remote or isolated location, or a drive that might be cross country, perhaps 2-3000 kilometres plus or a three to four day drive.
Like I said, its a big country with wide skies and we love it. Gives us great inspiration for our wonderful stories.
Regards
Des Brady/Writer Inveterate Traveller
