| balustrade (n) (pronounced bah-liz-trahd) |
Railing, hand rail, banister |
| bar heater (n) | electric heater, radiator |
| bed-sit (n) | an efficiency or studio apartment |
| bench top (n) | kitchen counter |
| bin (n) | trash can (green top for rubbish, yellow top for recyclables) "Put out the rubbish bin." |
| block, block of land (n) | lot (real estate) "We bought a block in Subiaco." |
| Blu-Tack (n) | an adhesive putty that is used to hang posters on walls, etc. |
| bog, the (n) | toilet "i gotta go to the bog." |
| cat flap (n) | doggie door |
| cot (n) | baby crib |
| cotton (n) | generic term for any type of thread |
| creche (n) (pronounced "kresh") |
day care centre, baby's room |
| cubby (n) | kids playhouse, tree house |
| display home (n) | model home (real estate) |
| display village (n) | model homes (real estate) |
| DIY (adj) | do-it-yourself Part of the Aussie tradition of self-reliance. |
| donga (n) | pre-fabricated cabin with few creature comforts Common accommodation on mine sites and trailer parks |
| doona (n) | comforter, quilted bed cover |
| duchess (n) | sideboard (furniture) |
| dunny roll (n) | toilet paper |
| earth closet (n) | 19th century self-composting dry toilet |
| earth leak circuit breaker (ELCB) (n) | ground fault interrupter Automatically shuts off the current if there's a short. |
| ensuite (adj) | toilet/bathroom attached to room in hotel room or accommodation |
| fairy lights (n) | small white Christmas lights |
| fibro (n) | asbestos board used in construction of old houses |
| flannel (n) | a washcloth or hand towel |
| flat (n) | apartment |
| flatmate (n) | roommate |
| fluoro (n) | fluorescent light |
| flywire, flyscreen (n) | window screen |
| flywire door (n) | screen door |
| globe (n) | lightbulb |
| Hills Hoist (n) | Australian designed variable height rotary clothes line |
| hob (n) | stovetop, gas or electric |
| hoover (v) | to vacuum From the Hoover vacuum cleaner. |
| humpy (n) | temporary shelter Aboriginal: yumpi |
| impact sprinkler (n) | rainbird sprinkler |
| kitchen bench (n) | kitchen countertop |
| leadlight (n) | stained glass windows |
| loo (n) | toilet |
| loo tickets (n) | toilet paper |
| lounge, lounge room (n) | living room |
| manchester (n) | household linen, sheets, etc. |
| methylated spirits, metho (n) | methylated spirits, used as a solvent and cleaner They add the methylated part so people won't be tempted to drink it. |
| mod cons | modern conveniences "My new apartment has all the mod cons." |
| oregon, oregon pine (n) | light American pine wood used in furniture, panelling technically referring to Douglas Fir, grown as a crop in Australia |
| pavers (n) | exterior brick flooring |
| pelmet (n) | valance "The curtains hung behind the pelmet." |
| pot plants (n) | potted plants (not marijuana) |
| power point (n) | plug outlet usually individually switched at outlet, 240 volt |
| removals, removalists (n) | movers, moving company "When they shifted to Cairns, they called the removalists." |
| rendered (adj) | plastered, as in house wall finishes |
| renos (v) | renovations |
| repayments (v) | mortgage payments |
| reticulation (n) | sprinklers, irrigation |
| roofie (n) | roofer |
| shift (v) | to move something, also to move house "They shifted from Perth to Sydney." |
| sleep out (n) | sleeping porch |
| sparky (n) | electrician |
| S-pipe (n) | elbow pipe (plumbing) |
| spread (n) | plasterer |
| stretcher (n) | cot "The toddler slept well on the stretcher." |
| tea towel (n) | dish towel |
| timber (n) | wood for construction "The house was built of timber and iron." |
| toilet (n) | restroom, bathroom |
| tradie (n) | tradesman (carpenter, bricklayer, etc.) |
| undercroft (n) (adj) | split-level home: garage below, living areas above area under main floor of a building, with it's own entrance |
| undercroft parking (adj) | parking on ground level with living, working areas above |
| verandah (n) | balcony, patio, etc. |
| weatherboard (n) | a sheet or board made of fiber and cement or wood, used in home construction |
| wheelie bin (n) | the main trash can for the house, with wheels on the bottom. "Take the wheelie bin out to the street so the garbos can empty it." |
| whipper-snipper (n) | motor-powered weed-wacker or brush cutter |
| white ants (n) | termites |