Fair dinkum is as fair dinkum does. L'Aussie explains...

Hey are you guys fair dinkum or what?  Not satisfied with following the comment stream you must have a fair dinkum explanation from moi. Ha! You asked for it!

Before I launch into the translation, I'd like to give fair dinkum thanks to all of you who were so happy to receive this strange liitle award and ponder over what it meant. I'll just say for an Aussie to tell you that you're 'fair dinkum' is the highest accolate you will get from one of us. I think you're a 'bonza' lot as Crocodile Dundee would say.

Here are some commenters' ideas of what 'fair dinkum' means:

NR Williams - kind and thoughtful
Coelene Murphy - I have no idea!
Lynda Young - genuine, real, honest
Words Crafter - the real deal
Jeffrey Beesler -  I think a dinkum is kind of like a snookum in the US, and a snookums is a term of endearment for a loved one.
Writers Block NZ - truthful/honest
Grandpa - it's about truth, honesty, and about being fair, really - which I think is what Australia and all Aussies are all about!
Cheryl -  honest, genuine, a great person
Francine - I'm a fair dinkum Pom, and an Aussie says so!
Theresa -  People who are faithful in their support.
Nomes - genuine. It's true blue awesomeness.
Kangaroobee -  sure enough or okay and perhaps cool,
Rachael: it always means genuine and true blue for me.
Ellie: all round nice, honest, and caring person. Someone who I could trust with my life.
Christine - true or genuine (and Rolf Harris!)
The Golden Eagle - they do something that says that they care.
Julie Musil: Could it be that it's named after a writer?
Theres Just Life: You are fair dinkum in my book. 
Adina West - the simplest definition for fair dinkum is 'true blue'. Two words. Yep. Reckon I showed 'em. Gob smacked by that, aren't you, eh, you lot? Bloody oath!
Madeline: So since you had to stop somewhere with awarding I guess the answer would be 'Fair Dinkum'.

Well, as Kangaroobee's husband told her to tell me, just to show off his complete understanding of Aussie slanguage - I've been flat out like a lizard drinking, making this award or two, awarding it to 'fair dinkum' blogging mates, reading some sincere guesses and some downright show-offy Aussie know-all definitions, and now sifting through.


The iconic images on my award - a pub, a horse, the outback, the isolation, the sunset, the tranquility - all Aussie! Not a ranch in sight - we call 'em 'stations' and they are bigger than some countries!

The pic was taken near the largest station is the world, Anna Creek Station. It is located in South Australia. Its area is roughly 24,000 km² (6,000,000 acres) which is bigger than Israel. It is 8,000 km² larger than Alexandria Station (its nearest rival) in the Northern Territory, Australia and eight times the size of America's biggest ranch, King Ranch in Texas, which is only 3,000 km². Now howzat! Maybe I'll set my next HM&B romance there!

Now that you've read through the above comments, you've probably seen that the most popular definition of 'fair dinkum' is - a person who is kind, caring, thoughtful, genuine, straight, TRUE BLUE. Aussies love the term 'True Blue' as it means 'fair dinkum.' Don't get me started again!

We have many examples of Aussies we consider true blue, such as the late Steve Irwin, who was a mate of John Williamson, a true-blue Aussie balladeer. I'm going to leave you with his song, 'True Blue'. He sang it live at Steve Irwin's memorial. I'll include that clip for any Steve Irwin fans. It shows an Australia Zoo worker loading Steve's camping gear and paraphenalia in his ute, then driving away. Very moving. As John Williamson croons - 'just knocked off for smoko...'

The Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, a 'true-blue' Aussie.