What Do You Think This Is, Bush Week?

Online Editor Vanessa Bland investigates the origins of a common Australian phrase and uncovers a long-lost Australian Bush tradition.

‘What do you think this is, bush week?’ is a phrase well known in Australia. It implies that you are trying to get something past somebody, taking them for a fool. I always wondered where the phrase came from, so I did some digging into historic newspapers and learned the interesting origins of the saying. Would you believe Bush Week was a real event about a hundred years ago?

An article from January 1919 proposes that Bush Week would be held in Sydney to ‘stimulate interest of the city folk in the primary and secondary industries of New South Wales.’^[1] More impressively, an article from February 1919 says that the Bush Week Carnival would allow local districts to organise exhibits that would occupy a hut for each centre. Then, overseas journalists could attend and learn about the ‘wealth of the State’.^[2] By March 1919, the Spanish Flu epidemic had ground Bush Week plans to a halt, but it was proposed that Bush Week should be postponed and held ‘during the period of the visit to the Commonwealth of the British Press representatives.’^[3] Impressing the British press is surely more exciting than impressing Sydney’s city folk anyway!

By September 1919, opposition was beginning to form. Bush Week organisers had failed to get any support in the Central West district (despite the ‘lovable secretary Mr W.E. Vincent, whose enthusiasm is really catching’).^[4] 

‘There appear to be numerous flaws in the whole business, and the biggest is the questionable educational value of the idea. The proposal is to hold a kind of Royal Show cum circus cum a Wayback turn-out in Centennial Park. The object being to allow each district to exhibit its principal products and otherwise advertise its wonderful potentialities. In addition to these attractions, there will be all sorts of sideshows to demonstrate actual farm and rural life for the edification of the Sydney crowds. The contention of the promoters is that this “true to nature” exhibition will fill the city folk with a yearning to go outback and try their hands at milking Strawberry, churning butter, tearing the wool off sheep, and robbing bees nests.’^[4] 

The biting article ends by suggesting that Bush Week will only serve the importers and business people of Sydney. ‘Easter Week means tens of thousands of pounds to Sydney, and not a red cent to the country. ‘Bush Week’ will merely give Sydney a chance to skin the country twice a year instead of once.’^[4]

Despite this criticism, in early 1920, it was announced that Bush Week was set to go ahead on 9 February. One of the main features being a four-day and four-night exhibition in the Town Hall.^[5] There was to be a pageant through the city streets on opening day, along with displays in shop windows and in Martin Place and Moore Street. Plus, there was to be a ‘dramatic spectacle of bush life to be held for three days at the Sydney Sports Ground’.^[6] In the lead-up to Bush Week, some of the attractions were announced: 

‘One of the original Cobb and Co. coaches driven by Mr. Richard Palmer, now 83 years of age, who drove coaches over 60 years ago in the bush and who has several times been held up by bushrangers. Another feature will be the first appearance in Sydney Street after many years of a bullock team of 16 bullocks. Considerable difficulty was experienced in getting such a team to Sydney in the first place, and secondly, the organisers found it well-nigh impossible to obtain a bullocky who would promise to moderate his language in our principal streets. Old hands will tell you that something overproof is required by bullocks; otherwise, they refuse to move. The pageant will also include 200 to 300 girls dressed as native flowers, and two of the floats will represent bush birds.’^[7]

Thousands of spectators turned up to the opening parade, and there was plenty of interest in the exhibits. Several articles were rather scathing in describing Bush Week as ‘a tenth-rate circus perpetuated in broad daylight’ ^[8], but many were glowing with praise.

Bush Week appears to have continued for a couple more years, but with far less media coverage. But by the mid-1920s, it seemed to have completely disappeared. In 1937, there was a newspaper article from someone reminiscing about Bush Week and suggesting a revival, but it didn’t pan out.^[9]

So, where did the saying ‘What do you think this is, bush week?’ originate? More digging into newspapers came up with the first mention in 1938 - a court report documented an argument: Witness (at Central): I said to him, ‘What’s up with you, mug? What do you think this is, bush week?’ He replied, ‘Don’t call me a mug, or I’ll knock your block off!’^[10]

And then another article in 1945: ‘The representative explains that this is an inappropriate period for such financial adjustments. Or, in simple phraseology, ‘What do you think this is? Bush Week?’’^[11] It seems that while Bush Week was still in living memory, people had adopted the idea of it being a bit of a trick at another person’s expense.

Bush Week, being a time when country folk are lured to the city to spend their money and boost business in the big smoke, has become embedded in the Australian lexicon. And although it was a real event at one time, it’s now a cheeky saying used to illustrate one's disbelief and contempt for being treated like a fool.

ENDNOTE:

[1] "BUSH WEEK." (1919, January 25). Evening News (Sydney, NSW: 1869–1931), p. 6. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article114262102

[2] "BUSH WEEK." (1919, February 14). Moree Gwydir Examiner and General Advertiser (NSW: 1901–1940), p. 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article115779408

[3] "Bush Week." (1919, March 29). The Hillston Spectator and Lachlan River Advertiser (NSW: 1898–1952), p. 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131039406

[4] "BUSH WEEK." (1919, September 17). The Don Dorrigo Gazette and Guy Fawkes Advocate (NSW: 1910–1954), p. 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article171857726

[5] "Official Correspondence." (1920, January 2). The Burrowa News (NSW: 1874–1951), p. 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103478427

[6] "BUSH WEEK." (1920, January 3). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW: 1842–1954), p. 13. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15880768

[7] "BUSH WEEK OFFERS UNIQUE ATTRACTIONS." (1920, February 8). Sunday Times (Sydney, NSW: 1895–1930), p. 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120525513

[8] "BUSH WEEK CIRCUS." (1920, February 13). The Sydney Stock and Station Journal (NSW: 1896–1924), p. 12. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article124740143

[9] "REVIVAL IS DUE!" (1937, February 23). Glen Innes Examiner (NSW: 1908–1954), p. 7. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article178497622

[10] "COURT SIDELIGHTS." (1938, June 1). The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW: 1931–1954), p. 10. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article247247924

[11] J. M.’C. (1945, August 14). Just between YOU & ME. Tribune (Sydney, NSW: 1939–1991), p. 8. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article208694577