Everyone has heard of the infamous Aussie outbackers, who have their own life-style suited to the raw and challenging elements of the outback. Tea making for the outbackers is also unique, varying from their urban Australian counterparts.

To make Outbacker Tea, add a handful of tealeaves to a large can (Billy) of boiling water. Boil or heat the tea until it is one nasty dark colored potion. Outbackers like their brew s-t-r-o-n-g and bitter. So if you like the taste of tea to hang off of your tongue, or to cling to your gut, Billy Brew will accomplish this feat.

The Billy has a wire handle attached to it, so it can be hung over a fire. Customarily, an outbacker will leave his Billy, filled with tea leaves and water, either hanging on a tripod over the coals of his morning fire or sitting on the coals before he leaves for his long days work in the bush. When he returns in the evening, he rekindles his fire and reheats his Billy, which is brim full with the day-long-steeped Billy Brew. Loads of sugar and/or a gum tree leaf (eucalyptus) are added to the tea just before serving to sweeten it, flavor it and take the edge of the bitterness.

Gloves are commonly used to handle the Billy because it is very hot to touch. For a little show in front of fiends, and outbacker may take the Billy and swing it at full arm’s length around and around in circles to settle the tealeaves in a hurry before serving up the tea.
This ever-loved charcoal-burnt, bent, and dented Billy is celebrated in the Australian patriotic song, “Waltzing Matilda”.

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