Wednesday 11 March 2009

The Rusty Bunnies


The South Sydney Rugby League football team is owned by Russell Crowe. They train on their home ground, Redfern Oval, every weekday. Their nickname is the Rabbitoh's which is invariably shortened to the Bunnies. That's the way language works in this neck of the woods.

During the Depression of last century, the municipality of South Sydney was a very working class area based as it was on jobs on the railways. Many families found it very hard to make ends meet and the menfolk would go into the country, shoot rabbits (enough already - WILD rabbits not fluffy bunnies)and walk the streets and laneways of the suburb with the loud refrain: Rabbitoh ... rabbitoh ... get one fer yer dinna now.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

what a great story. But which part is the myth?

Jim said...

Great background story for your photo.

Julie said...

It has the consistency of an urban myth. It is the one I like, anyways. Wiki (take the second link) has others. When I think about this, they probably did not shoot the rabbits but rather they trapped them. I have seen old photos around my area of rabbit skins slung over lane fences drying. Yet another way to eek out a meagre income in those difficult times. Another thing is that guns are not that prolific in Oz and bullets cost money. Rabbit traps are self sufficient. Growing up, my brothers and I used to trap rabbits for Mum to cook - this is the 50s early 60s.

Fernando Pagán said...

Nice shot.Beautiful work.