mate - this is a word found throughout the English speaking world to mean “a friend” or “a partner”. It appears to have come into English around the 14th century from a Germanic source word meaning (more or less) “companion” – making the key sense of the word unchanged over many centuries. But in Australia the word “mate” took on a special complexion. This was because of the difficulties and dangers of life in the bush during the early years of the various colonies that were to become the nation of Australia. Although “mate” is first recorded here in 1834, it was more towards the latter part of the 19th century that it took on its distinctive Australian colouring when a mate came to be “one with whom the bonds of close friendship are acknowledged; a sworn friend”. Used in this way it suggested a high level of trust: the bush was a dangerous place and it was safer to work in pairs – but you had to trust the bloke you were working with, he had to be a real mate. This is the sense in which Henry Lawson used the word in all those classic short stories. Then in 1914 the mates went to war and the word was infused with wartime suffering and heroism. Today it is probably somewhat weaker. But in Australia “mate” is still a form of address implying equality and goodwill. Some people will, today, use the word ironically, even sneeringly. But despite this, it is a stubborn little word, and refuses to die.

mates with - friendly with: e.g., I'm not mates with him any more.

mates' rates - reduced prices for goods, labour etc for friends.

mateship - the concept regarded as a particularly Australian virtue which encompasses unconditional acceptance, mutual and self respect, sharing whatever is available no matter how meagre. It is a concept based on trust and selflessness and absolute interdependence. However, the 'mate' usage is the language of Australian males. Australian society has historically been male dominated, as recognised by pollie Gareth Evans in the context of the preamble debate, in which the Prime Minister of Australia suggested 'mateship' should be in our new constitution. National identity was grounded in the writings of people like Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson, and continued with Gallipoli and right through the Second World War to our social institutions such as surf lifesaving and racing and the pub. The men spent time doing blokey things, including drinking with their mates, while the women attended to domestic chores. Men normally do not call women mates. They may say, "She's a mate", or "We're just mates'. But generally they will not say, "G'day mate", or "thanks mate", or "pot a XXXX thanks mate" - this usage is strictly reserved as part of the rituals of mateship. In the hard days of convict life and of gold diggings, rebellions and floggings. A man had to stick by his mates if he was to get by as, for more than 50 years, Australia was almost entirely a masculine country. This was the heritage passed on to men and youths long after the population balance between the sexes had been adjusted. A man loves his mates, although he would rarely admit it and, should you look deep into his heart, you will see that he values them more than most things in his life. In the Japanese POW camps the Australians discarded their differences and became a tribe, a tribe which was always the most successful group. The core of this success was an ethos of mateship and egalitarianism which not only survived the ultimate dehumanising duress of the death camps, but shone through as the dominant Australian characteristic. In combat, men did live and die by its creed. 'Sticking by your mates' was sometimes the only reason for continuing on when all seemed hopeless. Mateship existed between the convicts. Mateship continued to develop among the gold miners. Mateship thrived with our diggers in the World Wars. Mateship survives, in the face of all cultural onslaught, at all levels of Australian male society, from railee to Prime Minister. We are mates.

matey - 1. friendly with: e.g., Those two are very matey. 2. term of friendly address among men.

matey with - familiar or friendly with: e.g., He's being matey with the boss so that he can ask for a raise.

mateyness - friendship.

maths - mathematics.

matilda - a swag, as carried by a tramp or a swagman.

maulers - hands: e.g., Take your maulers off my jewellery.

Maundy - the distribution of money on the Thursday before Easter.

Maundy Thursday - the Thursday before Easter.

Maung - Aboriginal people of the Northern Territory.

Maurice, R T - a pastoralist who, in 1901, led a 'pleasure trip' northwards from Fowlers Bay, to clear up doubts as to the nature of the country between Giles' east-west route and that of the Elder expedition under Lindsay. In a salt lake area, they came across the plainly visible tracks of Giles' party of a quarter of a century earlier.

Mauritius - an important port of call on the trade route to India prior to the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Located in the Indian Ocean, the island of Mauritius was known to Arab traders in the Middle Ages, was claimed by the Portuguese in 1510, and occupied by the Dutch between 1598 and 1710. (It was from here that the famous Dutch navigator Abel Tasma set out to discover the western part of Australia.) Colonized by the French in 1715 and the British in 1890, the island remained a British colony until it became an independent state within the Commonwealth in 1968, and finally, a republic in 1992. The island was named ‘Mauritius’ by the Dutch in 1598, in honour of Prince Maurice Van Nassau, the son of William Van Nassau, founder of the Republic of the Netherlands. Mauritius is located just above the Tropic of Capricorn.

mauve melaleuca - Melaleuca thymifolia, found along the east coast of New South Wales and southern Queensland, extending about 200km inland. It is one of the most widely cultivated members of the genus and is well established in general horticulture. The species forms a small shrub, rarely exceeding 1 metre in height. The flowers occur in clusters on the older stems and have a distinctive "claw" configuration which clearly shows the united stamens that are a feature of the genus. The leaves are oblong-elliptical in shape and about 10mm long.

may as well be caught for a sheep as for a lamb - pertaining to the belief that if one is going to do something - especially something risky or illegal - one may as well commit oneself entirely, for the consequences are just the same; to behave impetuously.

may your chooks turn into emus and kick your dunny door down - an insult, popularised by Barry Humphries's character, Bazza McKenzie.

Mayali - a dialect of the major Aboriginal language group Gundjeihmi/Mayali, spoken in Western Arnhem Land. Today, the Mayali people live within Kakadu National Park, NT.

Mayi-Kulan - an Aboriginal people of Gulf of Carpentaria area, north-western Queensland.

Mayi-Kutuna - an Aboriginal people of Gulf of Carpentaria area, north-western Queensland.

Mayi-Yapi - an Aboriginal people of Gulf of Carpentaria area, north-western Queensland.

McArthur River - a river in north-eastern Northern Territory, Australia, rising about 70km south of Anthony Lagoon, along the scarp that marks the northern edge of the Barkly Tableland, and flowing north-west for 240km across rugged country to Port McArthur on the Gulf of Carpentaria. Swamp and jungle border its lower course, which is navigable by barge for 64km.

McArthur River Mine - lies 900km south-east of Darwin, in the north-eastern part of the Northern Territory. McArthur River is one of the world's largest zinc deposits. Owned by a joint venture between MIM (75%) and ANT Minerals, a consortium of leading Japanese companies (25%), it was brought into production in 1995, 40 years after its discovery. The mixed lead-zinc concentrate from the mine is transported by road to a port facility at Bing Bong where it is barged to waiting ships for despatch to smelters. Local Aboriginal people have a 31% interest in the barging joint venture. McArthur River Zinc Metal Project MIM has commenced a feasibility study into producing zinc metal on site at McArthur River, using the company's Albion Process technology. The process, now being pilot tested in Brisbane, comprises ultra-fine grinding and atmospheric leaching followed by electrowinning, and eliminates smelting. The project would include expanding operations at McArthur River to produce up to 4.8 million tonnes of ore and 450,000 tonnes of zinc metal a year and would significantly reduce unit costs of production. The project has the potential to put MIM and the Northern Territory in the forefront of the world zinc industry. It would also bring many benefits to the local community, the Northern Territory and Australia. It is estimated that 1000 people would be employed in construction, and that the mine's permanent workforce would almost double to 600.

McDonald Island - the major island in the McDonald Islands group, which includes Flat Island and Meyer Rock. Also regarded as the secondary island in the Heard-McDonald Islands group, McDonald (area 1sq km) consists of two distinct parts joined by a narrow central isthmus. At its highest point it rises to about 230m. Like Heard Island, all of these islands have cliff-lined coasts and rocky shoals, which make access from the sea very difficult. McDonald Island has been landed on only twice. It lies 43.5km due west of Heard Island.

McDouall, John Stuart - McDouall and the Oodnadatta Track both followed a line of numerous red and white sand dunes marking mound springs. Known for thousands of years by the Aborigines, they were discovered by the European explorers in the late 1850s and used by pastoralists as staging posts.

MCG - the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

McIlwraith - the oldest town in the Flinders Ranges, situated at the foot of Mount Remarkable, it was named by Edward John Eyre in 1840. Located in South Australia.

McIlwraith Range - a wilderness area of the Cape York region that features mountainous areas as well as lowlands. Steep gorges drop from the Mcllwraith to the sea, with many waterfalls and cascades. A plateau stretches between the range and the coast. The coastal area consists of sand dunes, while the ranges are formed of sandstones and granites. Rainforest and Araucarea woodlands are found on the ranges. The dunes support open heath, closed shrubland and vine forest. Where the sandstone formation occurs in valleys, a low forest of Melaleuca viridifolia usually exists. Fauna within the area is particularly diverse because of the variety of habitats. A number of interesting rainforest-dependent species, such as the Australian cassowary, are found in the area. Located on the east coast of Cape York, 300km north of Cooktown.

McKenzie Falls - there are several waterfalls on the many watercourses in the Grampians, but by far the most popular is MacKenzie Falls on the MacKenzie River. Named by explorer Mitchell on the 21 July 1836, the MacKenzie River rises in the higher reaches of the Grampians and flows north-west through Zumsteins towards Mount Zero.

McKillop, Blessed Mary - Mary was a troublemaker - a woman who stood up for what she believed, which brought her into conflict with religious leaders. The tension escalated into conflict over educational matters and as a result Mary was excommunicated for insubordination in 1871. The excommunication placed on her was lifted 6 months later. In 1973, Mother Mary became the first Australian to be formally proposed to Rome as a candidate for canonization and she was beautified by Pope John Paul II at St Francis' Church on 27th November, 1994.

McKinlay, John - in 1861-62, led a party from Adelaide