Transcript of AE 1304 - Learn English with a Short Story: Uluru Adventure

G'day you mob, and welcome to Aussie English. I am your host, Pete, and my objective here is to teach you guys the English spoken Down Under. So whether you want to sound like a fair dinkum Aussie, or you just want to understand what the flippin' hell we're on about when we're having a yarn, you've come to the right place. So sit back, grab a cuppa and enjoy Aussie English. Let's go.

G'day, you mob! Welcome to this episode of Aussie English. This is the third instalment of Learn English with a Short Story. Today's short story is about an adventure around Uluru, near Uluru or Ayers Rock. But we typically use the indigenous name now, Uluru. So this one's going to be the longest yet. It's about 11 minutes long, the story.

We're going to play the story once through so that you can watch it read and listen at the same time. I'm going to then break down all the interesting vocab, expressions, everything like that inside the story, line by line. I'm going to play it for you again and then we'll finish up, grab a cup of tea, grab a coffee, grab some kind of drink. Could be whisky, whatever you want, you know, get a snack and, um, let's hang out. Let's hang out for the next probably an hour or so. We'll see how it goes.

Don't forget to download the worksheet today. It is free. You can download this down below in the description. It will include the full transcript for the story. All the vocab is going to be highlighted and numbered. The vocab glossary will be at the end, so that you can look up the definition of each of these words and phrases, as well as see example sentences of each of them being used.

And then right at the end is a 20 question listening comprehension and vocab comprehension quiz. So you can test your English skills as well. And the answer key is right at the bottom of the worksheet. So once again just go to the description. Enter your email. You can download that for free and print it out and study it whilst we are chugging along and moving through this story.

As I always say guys, if you have a suggestion for a story or a type of story, you would like me to cover a certain topic, a certain place, a certain theme, then let me know in a comment below. This one was suggested by Mr. PK 266. So thank you so much for the suggestion. He or she. I assume he. Said, Great story. How about one camping and exploring the outback with a couple of animals and critters? So we've done exactly that in today's story.

Today's story is Uluru Adventure. We follow three people. They go on a camping trip around Uluru, and they end up crossing paths with quite a few interesting Australian animals that are cute and cuddly. A little bit scary at times. Yeah, I think you're going to enjoy it anyway. Thank you, Mr. PK. And again, if you guys have suggestions, put them in the comment below.

And remember, you can listen to this episode as a podcast episode on the Aussie English Podcast as well. So go and subscribe to that. You can download it via any good podcast app. Anyway, without any further ado, let's get into the episode.

The sun was starting to rise as Shelly adjusted her backpack, feeling the excitement and nerves settle in. She had always loved the idea of adventure, but this trip was something else. Camping and hiking around Uluru, in the heart of the Australian outback, was a far cry from her usual city life. It was the kind of trip she dreamed about for years, but now that she was here, it was a whole new ball game.

The red dust, the endless sky, and the stories she'd heard about the land made her eager yet slightly anxious. As a Brit, she was still finding her feet when it came to all the Australian slang and the dry humour her friends always threw her way, but she was determined to take it all in her stride.

Her Aussie mates Bruce and Trev were already loading up the ute. She had met them last year shortly after arriving in Australia. Bruce, always laid back with a cheeky grin, knew the outback like the back of his hand. Trev, quieter but sharp eyed, was the animal lover of the group, constantly spotting wildlife Shelly would miss.

No worries Shelly. You'll be right, Bruce said with a grin, as he tossed his gear into the back of the ute. Just chuck your gear in and let's get going. Shelly smiled, trying her best to fit in. She'd heard the phrase 'no worries' a hundred times since landing in Australia, but it was still funny to her. As she put her backpack into the ute, Trev was busy studying the ground.

See this? That's a dingo track, he said, pointing at some paw prints in the dust. Australia's only native dog bit will spot a few of those fellas soon.

They set off down the long, dusty road towards Uluru, the massive red rock looming on the horizon. Shelly was taking it all in, the wide open spaces, the smell of the dry earth, and the occasional sight of a kangaroo hopping in the distance.

So, Uluru really is out in woop woop, huh? Shelly tried out her new Aussie slang, making Bruce and Trev chuckle.

Yeah, that's the spirit, Bruce replied, giving her a thumbs up. Won't take you long to wrap your head around our lingo.

By the time they arrived at their campsite, the sun was sinking behind Uluru, casting long shadows across the desert. The temperature had already started to drop, and the dry heat of the day was quickly replaced by the cool evening breeze. They set up their tents and lit a campfire, the crackling flames breaking the stillness of the outback night.

Shelly stared up at the sky, her breath catching in her throat. It's like nothing I've ever seen before. Look at all those stars, she whispered, awe-struck at the sight.

Yeah, it's a ripper, Trev said, settling down by the fire. Nothing like a night out bush to remind you how big this place is.

Bruce chuckled, poking the fire with a stick. Just watch out for the drop bears, Shelly. Wouldn't want one of them dropping out of a tree and landing on you in your sleep.

Shelly rolled her eyes, used to their playful teasing by now. She'd heard enough about these mythical creatures to know they were just pulling her leg, but the dark, unfamiliar outback still made her a little wary.

As the night wore on, they chewed the fat around the fire, swapping stories. The occasional snap of the burning wood mixed with their laughter, creating a sense of calm after the long day of travel. In the distance, a dingo howl echoed across the desert, making Shelly jump.

Bruce grinned, noticing her reaction. Keep your shirt on, Shell. Don't pack your dacks, mate. That's just the locals saying g'day.

Shelly shook her head, smiling despite herself. Yeah, I'm fine as long as they keep their distance.

Trev leaned back, stretching his legs toward the fire. Tomorrow's hike will take us around the base of Uluru. Should be more wildlife than you can shake a stick at. Hopefully less scary than the dingoes, though, ey, Shelly? he added with a wink.

Bruce nodded. It'll be a long trek, but we'll take it easy. We'll hit the highlights around the rock, see the waterholes, and if we're lucky, check out a few more rare critters. Piece of cake. But better get some shut eye tonight, guys.

Shelly took a deep breath, feeling the weight of tomorrow's adventure ahead. She gazed up at the stars again, the vastness of the outback wrapping around her like a blanket. I reckon I'll sleep like a log tonight. She said, her voice soft with exhaustion and contentment.

As the fire slowly died down. They each crawled into their tents, the sound of the desert night lulling them to sleep, ready for the day that lay ahead.

The next morning, the group set out for their hike around the base of Uluru. Shelly marvelled at the sheer size of the rock, its red surface glowing under the hot sun. Along the way, she spotted a few kangaroos bounding across the scrub.

Trev, the animal lover, was in his element. Did you know Uluru is home to all sorts of beasties? We might even see a perentie if we're lucky. Biggest lizard you'll ever see around here.

As they trekked further, Bruce decided to explore a side trail. Shelly hesitated. Are you sure this is the right way? Bruce waved her off. No dramas, mate. We're just taking the scenic route.

But after a while it became clear they were a little lost. Shelly's nerves started to show. We're not lost, are we?

Bruce scratched his head. Nah, she'll be right, he said reassuringly. Worst case scenario, we just start walking towards the red rock and find our way back from there.

Just then they came across an emu standing in the middle of their path. The tall bird eyed them suspiciously, making Shelly freeze.

Crikey, that's a big bird! Shelly exclaimed, her heart racing.

Trev chuckled. Don't sweat it, Shelly. Emus are all bluff, all bark and no bite. At the end of the day, they're just oversized chooks. He gave her a reassuring grin, trying to ease her nerves.

But Shelly wasn't convinced. You say that, but I once saw a mother hen take down a hawk with her claws when it came after her chicks.

Trev's eyebrows shot up. Fair dinkum! Okay, then, well, if this big fella's got any young ones around, let's just make sure we give 'em a wide berth! He laughed, though there was a hint of caution in his tone.

As they wandered off the trail, Trev suddenly stopped. Whoa! Snake ahead! He raised a hand, signalling Shelly and Bruce to freeze.

Shelly's heart pounded as she spotted the brown snake basking in the sun, its scales shimmering. That's, that's one of the deadly ones, right? she whispered, her throat tight with fear. Trev nodded calmly. Yep. That's a nope rope. They're pretty much all deadly out here. But don't panic. They only bite if they feel threatened.

Before anyone could move, a rustling sound came from the nearby bushes. Bruce's eyes widened as a massive perentie goanna lumbered into view, its muscular body moving with surprising speed. Whoa! Look at that monster! Bruce muttered, awe and tension mixing in his voice.

Shelly froze, watching the gowana approach the snake. Is it going after the snake? she asked in disbelief.

Without warning, the perentie lunged at the brown snake with lightning speed. Its powerful jaws snapped around the snake's middle, crushing its body. The snake thrashed violently, but the goanna held firm, shaking its prey viciously until its movements became sluggish and then it fell limp.

Trev's eyes were wide as he whispered, Now that's something you don't see every day.

The three stood motionless, watching as the goanna dragged the lifeless snake into the bushes, disappearing as quickly as it had arrived.

Bruce let out a breath. Whoa! Guess we won't have to worry about that one anymore.

Shelly's heart was still racing. I can't believe what we just saw! A goanna taking down a brown snake! I didn't even know they did that!

Trevor nodded, his voice low but calm. Perenties are top predators out here. They'll eat just about anything they can get their hands on. Well, 'jaws' on. And snakes are fair game too.

Bruce chuckled. Nature handled that for us. We didn't have to lift a finger.

Shelly exhaled slowly as she finally relaxed. Oh, I'm just glad we were spectators for that showdown. So, what now?

Bruce pointed to a gap in the bushes. Let's take the long way round, just in case there are more critters looking for dinner.

They moved carefully, one foot in front of the other, all eyes still scanning the path ahead. Shelly's legs felt like jelly, but she focussed on breathing evenly, relieved to be getting out of the situation unscathed.

Once they were a safe distance away, Bruce looked back with a grin. Well, that was wild. But I reckon we're in the clear now.

Too easy! Trev said with a wink. Nature's always got something up her sleeve.

By the time they got back to camp, the sun was setting behind Uluru and exhaustion mixed with satisfaction hung in the air. They settled by the fire, the flickering flames keeping the desert night chill at bay.

Shelly stretched out, a grin on her face. Well, that was an epic trip.

Bruce nodded, smiling. Too right. You're getting the hang of it. Won't be long before you're a proper local.

As the stars began to appear, Trev leaned back, gazing at the sky. Doesn't get better than this, eh? Just us, the land and the stars.

Shelly smiled softly. Yeah, I could get used to this.

Suddenly a rustling came from the bushes. Shelly sat up, alert. Did you hear that?

Bruce cocked his head. Yeah, something's out there.

A small creature hopped into view, its long ears twitching. Shelly's eyes widened. What is that?

Trev grinned. That, Shelly, is a bilby. Rare little guy. Lucky to see one.

A bilby? I thought they were almost extinct! Shelly's excitement was obvious.

Trev nodded. Hard to spot one in the wild. Usually stick to their burrows, but looks like we've got a curious one tonight.

The bilby hopped closer, sniffing around the fire. Shelly chuckled as it nibbled on a piece of fruit Trev tossed its way. It's like something out of a storybook.

Bruce grinned. Looks like he's made himself at home.

After a few minutes, the bill rebounded back into the night, disappearing as quietly as it had come.

Shelly exhaled, still amazed. Oh! That was incredible. I never expected to see something like that.

That's the outback, Bruce said, poking the fire. Full of surprises.

Trev smiled, leaning back. Nature's always got something in store if you're willing to look.

As the fire crackled and the desert air cooled, Shelly felt a deep connection to the land, knowing this moment would stay with her long after the trip was over.

Okay, so what did you think of the story? Thank you again, Mr. PK, for suggesting that. It was a really cool suggestion and I had a lot of fun smashing this out. Coming up with the story, designing all the photos, everything like that, the images that are used and then putting it, putting it together. It's been actually quite a lot of fun.

We have the story right here in front of me, and I have actually spaced it out line by line so that it's a little easier to follow hopefully for you guys watching this. So let's go through it line by line.

The sun was just starting to rise as Shelly adjusted her backpack. So she's adjusting it. She's moving it around so it's comfortable on her back.

Feeling the excitement and nerves settle in. So, the excitement and nerves settle in. I guess she's feeling those feelings are becoming, becoming one with them, right? Becoming comfortable with those feelings, that nervousness. We can also say nerves. And the excitement. You know, she's very excited. She is pumped up about this, this adventure.

She had always loved the idea of an adventure. I'm sorry. She had always loved the idea of adventure, but this trip was something else. But this trip was something else. Now, something cool to mention, pronunciation wise, She had always loved the idea of adventure.

There's an interesting thing going on there, when we're linking the word 'idea' and of you'll notice 'idea' ends with a vowel sound /a /. 'Of' starts with a vowel sound /o/ to link these two. We use the Intrusive R in Australian English. There's no R in the spelling, but we use that sound to link those two vowels. /idea(r) ov/. /the idea(r) ov/. The idea of adventure. The idea of adventure. So that's an interesting thing to think about and to learn.

I think I've done a video on this channel before about the Intrusive R. It's a very cool aspect of Australian pronunciation. So yes, go and check that video out if you haven't seen it after this one. Of course. Let's keep going.

Camping and hiking around Uluru, in the heart of the Australian outback, was a far cry from her usual city life. So, 'Uluru' is the indigenous name for Ayers Rock, which was the Western colonialist name. I think it was named after Ayers. I don't know if he was the guy who actually explored and ended up finding it. It'd be a bit arrogant if he named it after himself, or if someone named it after him when he went and discovered it, even though, you know, indigenous people had been living there for thousands of years. So the name is Uluru, and we typically use that.

In the heart of the Australian outback. 'In the heart' of something means 'in the centre' of something. And 'the Australian outback' is sort of the centre of the country. It's all that area that's away from the cities, away from civilisation, away from those towns and cities. You know, that's 'the outback'. And I guess the idea is that it's, it's 'out back', you know, beyond everything else. The outback, the Australian outback.

Was a far cry from her usual city life. If something is 'a far cry' from something else, it is a long way from. It is very different from. The distance is large, whether physical distance or whether in terms of how similar. Those things are 'a far cry' from something else.

So, her camping and hiking in the outback in Australia is a far cry from her usual city life. That means that her life in the city is very different from camping and hiking and being out in the Australian outback. Those two things are very disparate. They're very different, okay. They're quite different. They are a far cry from one another.

It was the kind of trip she dreamed about for years. But now that she was here, it was a whole new ball game. Okay, the interestingly, I think there's two pronunciations for the past tense, or the past participle, of the word 'dream'. So the verb 'dream', we can say 'dreamt'. So that's d r e a m t dreamt. I had always dreamt about going to France.

And you can also say dreamed. It's an interesting one. And I think these kind of, I don't know if they're more popular in certain areas depending on where you live, you know, in the world. But I tend to hear both, I think in Australia, dreamed or dreamt, dreamed or dreamt.

Now, the expression 'a whole new ball game'. I reckon this is probably a baseball expression or idiom from the US, from America originally, but we use this all the time. If something is 'a whole new ball game', it is something completely new.

It is something very different. So the point here is that she had dreamt of this trip for a very long time. Um, you know, had an idea in her head of what it was going to be like. But then when she arrived in Australia and was actually going on the trip, it was very different from what she was expecting. It was a whole new ball game, a whole new ball game.

The red dust, the endless sky and the stories she'd heard about the land made her eager yet slightly anxious. So, 'endless'. If something is 'endless', it is without limit. It goes on forever. So the idea in the centre of the outback is that there's not many mountains, and the sky is just everywhere, right? You can see it as far as the eye can see, as far as you can see into the distance you can see the sky. It's endless, it's endless.

If you're 'eager', you're 'very keen'. You're very. What would you say? Interested. Passionate about doing something. You're very eager to do that thing.

So, All of these stories had made her eager but slightly anxious. So a little nervous. You know, she's keen, but she's a little bit nervous. She's slightly anxious, just slightly.

As a Brit, someone from Britain, as a Brit, she was still finding her feet when it came to all the Aussie slang and the dry humour her friends always threw her way.

There's a lot going on here. But she was determined to take it all in her stride. So, 'to find your feet', this is to kind of become accustomed to something. If you find your feet somewhere in a new job, you're becoming accustomed to the new job. If you find your feet in a new place, you're becoming accustomed to that place. You're getting used to, that place. You're finding your feet.

I guess it's like being able to stand up. You know, you would find your feet on a boat where the boat's really unstable. You need to get your sea- they call them sea legs, where you're like, whoa, you know, you get used to kind of stumbling around like you're drunk when you're on a boat.

Um, 'dry humour'. This is kind of like dad jokes, I guess, right? It's kind of. It's humour. It's being funny. It's making jokes, but not everyone's into it. It's a little dry, right? It's a little dry. We use that adjective, dry humour. It's sort of like, uh, you know, it's a bit. It's a bit rough. It's a bit dry.

Her friends always threw her way. So if someone 'throws something your way', it's that they are giving it to you, right? Um, they are putting this thing on you. So they're throwing dry humour her way. They're making jokes at her about her, in front of her. It's coming her way. She's receiving these jokes. They're throwing it her way.

But she was determined to take it all in her stride. If you 'take something in your stride', it's like you, you absorb it easily. You take it easily. You're just like, you know what? I'm just going to deal with this as it is. I'm going to take it in my stride. I'm not going to let it get to me. I'm going to keep trying. I'm going to work hard. I'm just going to take it in my stride.

I guess the the idea being you're walking and you're not going to slow down, you're not going to stop, you're just going to keep going. You're going to take it all in your stride.

Her Aussie mates Bruce and Trev were already loading up the ute. She had met them last year shortly after arriving in Australia. So 'mates', this is a classic Australian term for friends. These are my mates. These are my friends.

Bruce and Trev. Trev will be a nickname for Trevor, right, a shortened name. We do this a lot in Australian English. Trevor, Trev.

They were already loading up the ute. A 'ute' is a utility vehicle, you know, it's kind of like a, um, imagine a sedan, but the back two seats are missing, and you've got a tray that you can put stuff on that's exposed to the outside, right. So the ute is usually two seats at the front that's inside the cabin of the car.

And then there's a tray on the back. And it's not the same as like American pickup trucks, those huge 'yank tanks' we call them here in Australia that are closer to trucks. Utes are usually kind of like sedans or wagons. They're not. They're sort of low down. They're not massive four wheel drive things. They are utes, you know, Commodore and Falcon utes in Australia.

She had met them last year shortly after arriving in Australia. So 'shortly after' something, very soon after that thing. So she arrived in Australia and then quickly straight away immediately afterwards. Very quickly afterwards, she met Bruce and Trev.

Bruce, always laid back with a cheeky grin, knew the outback like the back of his hand. So, 'laid back'. If you're 'laid back', the idea would be that you're very relaxed, right? You lay back, you relax. If you are laid back, you're very relaxed. A 'cheeky grin', you know, he's got a little funny smile. Like cheeky, cheeky, cheeky, funny smile.

And to 'know something like the back of your hand', I imagine you can work this out. It means to know something very well. Like if it's the back of your hand. The idea is that you see this all the time. You know the back of your hand better than anyone else. You know it very well. You are intimate with that thing. So he knows the outback like the back of his hand. He knows this area, this region very, very well.

Trev, quieter but sharp eyed, was the animal lover of the group, constantly spotting wildlife Shelly would miss. If you are 'sharp eyed', the idea would be that you see things. You notice things that others don't. So you've got 'sharp eyes'. Your eyes are very sharp. You see a lot of these things. You can make them out. You notice them. You pick them up where other people wouldn't.

So, Trev, quieter but 'sharp eyed', was the animal lover, the person who loves animals. You know, he's all about animals of the group, of the three of them. Constantly spotting wildlife Shelly would miss. So he sees the wildlife that Shelly would miss. She wouldn't see it. It would go past her. She wouldn't notice it. She she'd miss it.

No worries. Shelly- uh, wait a second. I've got to do the voice, don't I? No worries, Shelly, you'll be right, Bruce said with a grin as he tossed his gear into the back of the ute. Just chuck your gear in and let's get going. So, 'no worries'. Don't worry about it. No problem. 'She'll be right', you know. Shelly, 'you'll be right'. You can use both of these. You'll be right. Everything will be okay. Don't worry about it, Shelly. I know you're finding your feet. Hopefully you'll take it all in your stride. You'll be right. Everything will be okay. You'll be okay. You'll be all right.

Bruce said with a grin as he tossed through his gear into the back of the ute. Just chuck your gear in and let's get going. So if you 'chuck something', the idea is to throw it. But we use that verb in Australian English to mean 'put'. You know, it's a synonym for 'put'. An informal way of saying 'place'. Put that thing in a certain place. You know, Chuck the beer in the fridge. Chuck the snags on the barbie. Chuck your pillow on the bed. Just put it, place it. You don't have to literally throw it.

Shelley smiled, trying her best to fit in. She'd heard the phrase no worries a hundred times since landing in Australia, but it was still funny to her. So if you 'try your best', you do your very best to achieve something. So she's trying her best to fit in. 'To fit in' is to feel comfortable in that area. Feel like other people. Feel like you're the same as everyone else. Feel like one of the crowd. You know, like one of everyone else. She's trying her best to fit in as she put her backpack into the ute. See, put.

Trev was busy studying the ground. And we can use the verb 'study' to just mean look at something, to really analyse something, to examine something. He was studying the ground. So it's not like he's literally, you know, reading a textbook and studying it for university or school. He's just looking at it and thinking about it, studying the ground.

See this? I'm going to do the voice. See this? That's a dingo track, he said, pointing at some paw prints in the dust. A 'dingo' is a native Australian dog. These are the only dogs that are native to Australia. Uh, it came about, I think, 4500 years ago through South East Asia or India. And it's been here ever since, and it's become part of the environment in Australia, so it's considered native now.

He said, pointing at some paw prints in the dust. A 'paw print' is the equivalent of a footprint. But for animals with paws, you know, cats and dogs. Paw prints in the dust. Australia's only native dog, bet we'll spot a few of those fellas soon. So Australia's only native dog, it is naturally found in that environment. It is part of the environment. It is native.

And he's using, I believe we covered this as a elision or ellipsis. He's removed 'I bet', he's just said 'Bet we'll spot a few of those fellas soon'. Instead of 'I bet we'll spot'. Remember, we can drop those pronouns, especially when it's obvious in informal English and you're talking to someone directly.

Bet we'll spot a few of those fellas soon. 'Fella' here is an informal way of saying 'man', but it's kind of you can use it with animals or with. Yeah, with animals in this case. And it doesn't really matter if it's a female or a male.

He's just being informal and saying, you know, we'll see some of them. We'll see some of those guys, we'll see some of those fellas soon, right. And he just means see some of those dingoes, male or female.

They set off down the long, dusty road towards Uluru. The massive red rock looming on the horizon. 'To set off' is to begin to leave, right. You've started leaving. So they set off. Good phrasal verb. And then 'down the long, dusty road'. So they're going 'down' the road. We can use 'down' here, it can be just 'away from'. So if you're standing there and the car drives 'down' a road, it can be sort of like it's 'away' from you. I guess you could say towards you as well.

We're really kind of thinking if it's like from, from up high, down low, you know, towards you, if you're at the bottom of a hill, you'll say it's coming down towards you. If you're at the top of the hill and it's driving away, you're saying you'll say it's going down as in away from you. And we can also think about it with North and South, if something's going from north to south, that's also 'down'. So yeah, we use prepositions quite a lot in English, as I'm sure you'll know. And a lot of the time it's with direction, distance and, you know, changes in size, that sort of thing.

The massive red rock, we're talking about, Uluru, which is orange red in colour. We call it 'the rock looming on the horizon'. It's kind of like if something is 'looming', it's very big and almost hanging over you. You know, it's very impressive and it's kind of like, ooh, it's almost ominous, right? It's 'looming' on the horizon so they can see it coming towards them, kind of almost hanging over them as they drive down that road.

Shelley was taking it all in the wide open spaces, the smell of the dry earth and the occasional sight of a kangaroo hopping in the distance. So 'to take it all in' is to absorb something. If you are at a lecture at uni and you're listening intently, trying to understand everything, you're taking it all in, right? It's all coming into your senses. Smell, sight, sound, taste. Take it all in is to experience it right.

Wide open spaces. So the outback is very wide and open, right? There isn't a lot of buildings. There isn't a lot of trees around. Um, it's a wide open space. There's a song, right? Wide open spaces. So you'll probably know that.

So, Uluru really is out in woop woop, huh? Shelly tried out her new Aussie slang, making Bruce and Trev chuckle. 'Out in woop woop'. Again, we're using these prepositions interestingly here, right? If something is 'out' in a location, it is far away from where you're thinking about, right? Like so if you're in a city and you want to go out in the outback, you want to leave the city and enter the outback, right? Which is why we're saying out as in away from the city and then in as in entering that thing.

So, 'out in woop woop'. 'Woop woop' is Aussie slang for 'far away from civilisation'. It's out in woop woop, right? It's 'past the black stump'. It's 'out in the middle of back'. Or is it 'back of Bourke'? In the middle of nowhere. It's 'out in woop woop'.

Huh? And we can use words like 'huh' at the end of a phrase to effectively act as a tag question. So, it really is out in woop woop, huh? It's like saying, 'isn't it?', right? Isn't it? Um.

To chuckle. Bruce and Trev 'chuckle', making Bruce and Trev chuckle. This is just to laugh sort of lightly, you know, being like, ha ha ha ha. That's to chuckle.

Yeah, that's the spirit, Bruce replied, giving her a thumbs up. Won't take you too long to wrap your head around our lingo. So, 'that's the spirit'. We can use that when we're saying that someone has the right attitude. You know, if you go to work and you're exhausted, but you need to work really hard that day. And so you dive in and you're working your butt off, your boss might come past and be like, Look, I know you're tired, but 'that's the spirit'. That is the spirit you should have when at work, you know, smash it all out, work hard. You have the right spirit, The right attitude, right? That's the spirit.

If you 'wrap your head around something', this is a great Aussie expression to mean 'to understand something', to learn about something, to master something. It's almost like your brain has to go around something and then you fully understand it, absorb it.

And then 'lingo' is 'language'. But we can use it to mean 'our lingo', it's sort of like 'our slang', the way that we speak our language, our lingo.

By the time they arrived at their campsite, the sun was sinking behind Uluru, casting long shadows across the desert. A 'campsite' is where you camp, right? It is the site where you set up a camp. You might have a 'campfire'. You might have a 'camp tent'. You might have 'camp chairs'. We use 'camp' a lot when talking about camping vocab. That is a camp site, the place that you are going to be camping.

'Sinking'. This is a cool one. So when we think about the sun setting quite often we can use the verb to sink as if it were 'sinking' into water, right? Like something, you drop a rock in water and it goes down into the water and disappears. We can use that verb kind of colourfully when talking about the sun 'setting' to mean that it is descending and sort of disappearing. So it's 'sinking behind Uluru', it's sinking behind it, it's disappearing behind it. It's setting behind Uluru.

Casting long shadows across the desert. So 'to cast' is to kind of like to throw something. You can 'cast a line', a fishing line, you can 'cast a stone'. I think there's a lot of biblical kind of expressions with that. You know, He who cast the first stone, whatever.

Casting long shadows. And we say that about something that has a shadow, a very long shadow, a big shadow. It 'casts' the shadow. It's almost the idea, I guess, of you. If you had a big shadow behind you, it's like you've thrown that shadow there. It's cast behind you.

The temperature had already started to drop, and the dry heat of the day was quickly replaced by the cool evening breeze. So the temperature was 'dropping', it was 'decreasing', it was getting cooler.

The 'dry heat'. So it wasn't obviously wet heat in the desert. It's 'dry'. It was quickly replaced by the cool evening breeze.

They set up their tents and lit a campfire, the crackling flames breaking the stillness of the outback night. So 'lit a campfire', that is, to get it started, to cause a fire to begin. You've got a campfire that's in the camp.

And the 'crackling flames'. I guess the idea here is that flames are shooting up and the wood that they're burning, or they're coming out of is cracking. Probably the moisture in there, right, is boiling and then just cracking. So the flames are crackling and maybe they're sending out sparks whilst, you know, they're, um, they're what would you say? Burning, erupting up into the air.

Breaking the stillness of the outback night. So the outback evening night is very still. Quiet, but these crackling flames are kind of disrupting that. They're breaking the silence. They're breaking the stillness.

Shelley stared up at the sky, her breath catching in her throat. It's almost like she's surprised or shocked, you know. She's like, you know, wow. You know? Her breath catches it, gets stuck in her throat.

It's like nothing I've ever seen before. Look at all those stars, she whispered, awestruck at the sight. If you are 'awe struck', you are impressed, shocked, surprised. You have been struck, hit with awe, right? Which is being amazed by something, you know, that's why we call something 'awesome', you know? It's full of awe, I guess. Or it causes awe, awesome.

Awful. That's a weird one though, right? We say awful for something that's bad, and yet what? It's full of awe. Yeah, I don't know. I don't get that.

Yeah, it's a ripper, Trev said, settling down by the fire. Nothing like a night. Nothing like a night out bush to remind you just how big this place is. So it's 'a ripper'. It's something amazing. It's 'awesome'. This is great Aussie slang. That's a ripper. What a ripper. Something amazing. A ripper.

Settling down by the fire. So he's obviously sat down and he's starting to rest and take it easy. Beside the fire. Near the fire by the fire.

Nothing like a night out bush to remind you how big this place is. Again, we are dropping the pronoun and the auxiliary verb at the start there, right? Instead of saying 'There is nothing like a night out bush', he's just said 'Nothing like a night out bush'.

An 'out bush' would be to be 'out in the sticks', 'out in the forest', away from civilisation, right out in the countryside, in the land, out in the bush. We use 'bush' quite a lot in Australia to talk about forested areas, but it can also be kind of like areas, you know. You could say it probably about being in the desert a little bit. You know, you're 'out in the bush', you're just away from civilisation, out in nature.

Hey, mate, do you want to speak Australian English? Just like a fair dinkum Aussie? If you do, then check out my English Expressions 30 day challenge. Every single day for a month, you will get a new lesson that is going to teach you dozens of new expressions, idioms and advanced collocations in Australian English and English more generally. Every single lesson includes a short story based in Australia, which is chock a block full of English expressions, idioms and advanced collocations. At the end of this, you will have a short quiz that you can do to test your listening comprehension too. And you only need to study about 10 to 15 minutes a day.

So if you want to check this out and you want to get 50% off, check out the link in the description or go to AussieEnglish.com.au/expressions and use the coupon code 50%OFF, okay. So once again go to AussieEnglish.com.au/expressions and use the coupon code 50%OFF to save, you guessed it, 50% off. Anyway, back to the lesson.

Bruce chuckled, poking the fire with a stick. And he's 'poking that fire with a stick', playing around with it.

Just watch out for the drop bears, Shelly. Wouldn't want one of them dropping out of a tree and landing on you in your sleep. So, a 'drop bear'. This is a funny sort of Australian joke. Myth. Mystical creature. It's like a koala crossed with a vampire, right? It's a vicious marsupial that lives in the trees. The idea being that it is like a koala bear that drops out of the tree and attacks its victims, attacks its prey.

Uh, wouldn't want one of them dropping out of a tree and landing on you in your sleep. So again, pronoun dropped. Instead of saying 'You wouldn't want one of them' or 'We wouldn't want one of them', or 'I wouldn't want one of them'. You just ditch the pronoun and say, 'Wouldn't want one of them dropping out of the tree and landing on you in your sleep'.

Shelly rolled her eyes, used to their playful, teasing, teasing by now. So, 'to roll your eyes' is to kind of show that you're not impressed by something. You're like, 'Ugh', you know. Your eyes go up into your head or roll across the top of your your face. You're 'Ugh', you're rolling your eyes, right.

Playful teasing. So they're making fun of her, but not in a very nasty way. It's playful. They're kind of just being cheeky, right? Making these jokes, but not trying to be nasty.

She'd heard enough about these mythical creatures to know they were just pulling her leg. But the dark, unfamiliar outback still made her a little wary. So 'to pull someone's leg', you're 'pulling on their leg', right? I guess this would come from maybe someone sitting on a ledge or something, and someone below them pulling their leg and then hiding. And the person being like, What the hell? What was that? If you 'pull someone's leg', you joke with them. You're just, you know, taking the piss, taking the Mickey. You're not being serious. You're joking around, right?

But the dark, unfamiliar outback still made her a little wary. So, 'unfamiliar', she's not used to the place. It's all new, right? It's unfamiliar.

And if she's 'wary', it's like she's sort of nervous and aware of her surroundings and thinking, Ooh, I don't know what it's like here. I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know what animals to expect. She's wary. She's feeling a little wary.

As the night wore on, they chewed the fat around the fire, swapping stories. So, to 'wear on'. We use this for periods of time. So like the evening, the night, the day. For it to 'wear on' is to like continue, to pass, time-wise. So, the night 'wore on', time continued going into the night.

And to 'chew the fat' is to have informal conversations. To talk away, to carry on like a pork chop, to wrap it on, to chew the fat. You know, Ah, we're just chewing the fat. We're just talking about nothing important. To 'chew the fat' around the fire.

Swapping stories. So I'm telling a story. They're telling a story. We're swapping stories.

The occasional snap of the burning wood mixed with their laughter, creating a sense of calm after the long day of travel. So, this is just a bit of colourful writing here. The occasional snap. So like, you know, of the burning wood in the fire. Mixed with their laughter. So these it's sort of painting a picture of what it sounded like. People are laughing, they're having a chat and you can hear the fire in the background, creating a sense of calm after a long day of travel.

In the distance, a dingo howl echoed across the desert, making Shelly jump. So a dingo, that dog, remember the native dog, was howling. Oh, and it echoed across the desert. So the sound came echoing across the desert. You know, it's a long way away, but you can hear it in the distance.

Making Shelly jump. So, she's not literally jumping here. I guess she could, but the idea is that she's been 'startled'. She's, you know, set up in a shock, or moved, jolted. She's jumped, you know, she's been frightened.

Bruce grinned, noticing her reaction. Keep your shirt on, Shell. Don't pack your dacks, mate. That's just the locals saying g'day. So there's a few cool expressions here. 'Keep your shirt on' is like, calm down, keep calm, stay calm. I guess the idea would be that often when you see men in particular wanting to fight one another, they take their shirts off, I guess, so their shirts don't get damaged, but quite often they just chuck them on the ground anyway. So I don't know, maybe they don't want to be grabbed by the shirt. So, keep your shirt on, you know? Just relax. Take it easy. Calm down.

Shell. He's reduced the name Shelly to Shell as an informal nickname. Keep your shirt on, Chelle. Don't pack your dacks, mate. If you 'pack your dacks', you poo yourself, you shit yourself. So usually because you're afraid, right? He was packing his decks. He packed his dacks. Dacks, here is underwear, pants. Uh, Australian slang for that. And if you pack them, I guess the idea is that you fill them with something, right? So it's a colourful expression for shitting yourself.

Don't pack your dacks, mate. That's just the locals saying g'day. So the 'locals', the ones who live there, the dingoes, are the locals. And, 'they're saying g'day'. They're saying hello. They're letting you know that they're there, right. So, the dingo, by howling is saying, I'm here. They're just saying g'day.

Shelly shook her head, smiling despite herself. So, 'despite herself', in spite of herself. The idea being that she smiled even though she was scared. You know, despite being afraid, in spite of being afraid, in spite of having a fear response and jumping, she still smiled.

Yeah, I'm fine as long as they keep their distance. If something 'keeps its distance' from something else, it stays far away from that thing. So obviously, if you're afraid of dingoes, you don't like dogs and you're in the outback, you want them to keep their distance. So, 'their distance'. It's a weird one, right, 'their distance'? Why not my distance. Whose distance do you want them to stay far away? I hope they keep their distance.

Trev leaned back, stretching his legs toward the fire. Tomorrow's hike will take us around the base of Uluru. Should be more wildlife than you can poke a stick at. Hopefully less scary than the dingoes though, eh, Shelly?, he added with a wink. You know, winking his eye.

All right, there's a bit going on there. Tomorrow's hike will take us around the base of Uluru. So when we go hiking tomorrow, we will go around 'the bottom', the base, the very, yeah, bottom part of Uluru the rock, right, at the base of it. Right near it. Again, we're dropping those pronouns. 'There should be more wildlife'. 'There will be more wildlife'. Yeah. Instead of that, he's just saying 'Should be more wildlife than you can shake a stick at'.

So, if there's more 'something than you can poke a stick at', the idea is that there is a lot of that thing. I don't know where the poking the stick thing came from. I guess you would, you know, pointing it out with a stick. But there's so much of it you can't poke a stick at all the things.

Hopefully less scary than the dingoes, though. Actually, there's a lot going on there. So, hopefully the wildlife that we see tomorrow won't be as scary as the dingoes though. It's sort of like, 'however', 'although'.

And then 'eh' is the tag question. So, 'Hopefully less scary than the dingoes though, hey?' You know, sort of asking them 'You reckon, Shelly?' He added with a wink. So he said, and then he winked his eye, right?

Bruce nodded. It'll be a long trek, but we'll take it easy. We'll hit the highlights around the rock, see the waterholes, and if you. And if we're lucky, check out a few more rare critters. Piece of cake. But better get some shut eye tonight, guys.

All right. A lot going on there, too. A 'long trek', a long walk, a long hike. But we'll 'take it easy', so we're not going to rush it. We'll take it easy. We'll relax. We'll be calm. We'll have fun.

We'll 'hit the highlights' around the rock. To 'hit the highlights' would be to go to all the important locations or things, you know, interesting stuff around Uluru, the rock. Again, we'll hit the highlights, all the interesting stuff around Uluru. We'll see the waterholes and if we're lucky, check out a few more 'rare critters'. A 'rare critter' would be a rare animal. It could be a bug, could be a dingo, could be a snake, could be a lizard. 'A critter' is kind of any animal, right? It's just a synonym for animal.

Piece of cake. Again, dropping words here. 'A piece of cake'. It'll be a piece of cake. It's a piece of cake. We're just saying 'piece of cake'. As in 'easy'. It'll be easy. It's easy. Piece of cake.

But better get some shut eye. But 'you' better get some shut eye. 'We' better get some shut eye. 'I' better get some shut eye. It's kind of not obvious here, but you're just saying it as a general kind of thing. Everyone better get some shut eye. We need to get some sleep. If you get some 'shut eye', you get some sleep. 'Shut eye' is sleep, right? What do you do when you sleep? You shut your eyes. Usually. I think most people. There might be a few people who don't. That's a bit weird. That would freak you out.

Shelly took a deep breath, feeling the weight of tomorrow's adventure ahead. So 'the weight of that adventure' is like, Whoa, here it comes, you know, anticipating that it's going to be a big day. It's going to be 'full on', the weight of tomorrow's adventure ahead.

She gazed up at the stars again, the vastness of the outback wrapping around her like a blanket again, trying to be a little poetic here. So the 'vastness', how expansive, how wide open the outback is, was almost surrounding her. It's like the opposite of claustrophobia. Is that agoraphobia where you're afraid of wide open spaces? So those wide open spaces are wrapping around her. She's feeling them almost like a blanket.

I reckon I'll sleep like a log tonight, she said, her voice soft with exhaustion and contentment. So to 'sleep like a log' is to sleep very well. I guess the idea being a log, you know, a tree trunk has fallen on the ground and it tends to not move after the fact. It just sits there. And rots away. So, to 'sleep like a log' is to sleep very well. You know, babies quite often sleep like a log, though not always. Sometimes I do, but I often get disturbed by my kids.

She said, her voice soft 'with exhaustion'. She's tired. And 'contentment'. She's happy, you know.

She's tired, but she's happy. As the fire slowly died down, they each crawled into their tents, the sound of the desert night lulling them to sleep, ready for the day that lay ahead. So, for a for a fire to 'die down'. It's like you stop giving fuel to the fire. And it gets smaller and smaller and smaller. It dies down, it starts to 'die down' again. That preposition we're using in a phrasal verb here, to die down, to reduce, to decrease, right? The fire is dying down.

They each 'crawled' into their tents, so they're probably on hand. What would you say? Um, hands and knees. You know, uh, trying to 'get in all fours', crawling into their tent. The 'sound of the desert night'. All those sounds around them in the night. In the night. 'Lulling them to sleep', helping them go to sleep. Ready for the day that lay ahead.

The next morning, the group set out for their hike around the base of Uluru. So, they 'set out'. Again, I think we've covered this. This phrasal verb is to sort of begin a journey, to go out, to set out.

Shelly marvelled at the sheer size of the rock, its red surface glowing under the hot sun. So 'marvel', if you 'marvel at something', it's like you look at it and you're, like, impressed by it. You're you're wowed by that thing. You're awestruck. You are marvelling at it. Wow, what a marvel. I'm marvelling at that thing. I marvelled at the the red rock. If I saw Uluru for the first time, I am sure I would marvel at Uluru as well. I would be like, wow, that place is incredible.

Its red surface glowing under the hot sun. It's interesting. We use like this preposition 'under'. I guess the sun is up in the sky. The heat is coming down, the light is coming down. Baking that red rock, making it glow. And it's 'beneath' the sun. It's 'under' the sun. The red rock is under the sun.

Along the way they spotted a few kangaroos bounding across the scrub. Trev, the animal lover, was in his element. So, to 'bound across something' is to just sort of jump, right. So a kangaroo bounding, is it hopping, jumping. 'Scrub' is small, short bushes, you know, uh, out in, in the land. It can be anywhere, though. It could be in the desert. It could be in a forest. It's those short, small bushes that are sort of everywhere. That's 'scrub', right? Scrub. Trev.

Trev, the animal lover was 'in his element'. If you're 'in your element', you are somewhere that you is perfect for you. You're so happy. You're really. You thrive in that environment. You're in your element. You know, if you're a really good swimmer, every time you go to the pool, you're in your element. If you love surfing, you know, and you go to the beach and there's some really good waves, you're in your element. You know you're somewhere that you are going to thrive and have a lot of fun. Who have we got talking here now? I think this is Trev, right?

Did you know Uluru is home to all sorts of beasties? We might even see a perentie if we're lucky. Biggest lizard you'll ever see around here! Okay. Um, did you know Uluru is home to all sorts of beasties, all kinds of animals, all sorts of critters. Just another, it's another name for animals. Another synonym. Beasties.

We might even see a perentie. This is a large goanna, one of the largest goannas in Australia, that is in the arid areas of the continent. A perentie goanna.

We might even see a perentie if we're lucky. It's the biggest lizard you'll ever see around here. Biggest lizard you'll ever see 'round 'ere. You'll notice H deletion happening there with the word 'here'. This happens all the time.

If there's a consonant sound that comes before it, quite often we drop it.

/round ere/ /round ere/ /round ere/ instead of /round here/. Biggest lizard you'll ever see around 'ere.

As they trekked further, Bruce decided to explore a side trail. Shelly hesitated. Are you sure this is the right way? So 'to trek', to hike, to walk, to move in, you know, in. What would you say? Yeah. Out in the sticks. Out in the bush. He decided. Bruce decided to explore a 'side trail'. So you're on a track, you're on a trail, you're on a path. And there's a 'side trail'. There's one that goes off to the side that he wants to explore.

Bruce 'waved her off'. So he's waving and sort of like. Nah, don't worry about it, mate. No, don't worry, you know. 'Waved her off'. You waved someone off? It's kind of like you say. It's not a big deal. And you wave, you know? Yeah. No dramas, mate. Um, I've got to do the voice.

No dramas, mate, we're just taking the scenic route. So, 'no dramas'. It's not a problem. Don't worry. No worries. She'll be right, you know? Don't stress about it. We're just 'taking the scenic route', so we're not going directly where we should be going. We're going an 'indirect way'.

And the scenic route can be that it's going to be scenic, as in, there's going to be lots of beautiful things to say. But it can also kind of describe that you're just going the longer way to somewhere, as opposed to the short direct route, right. So we're just taking the scenic route. He's gone off on a side trail off the main path. He's taking the scenic route.

But after a while it became clear they were a little lost. Shelly's nerves started to show. We're not lost, are we? Bruce scratched his head. Nah, she'll be right, he said reassuringly. She'll be right. Everything is going to be okay. Don't worry about it. No dramas. She'll be right. It'll be all right.

He said reassuringly. So that's an adverb there, we're saying 'reassuringly'. He's reassuring them. He's making sure they're comfortable. He's trying to placate any fears that they may have with his words. He's trying to calm them. She'll be right.

Worst case scenario, we just start walking towards the red rock and find our way back from there. Again, we're cutting things. 'The worst case scenario', 'In the worst case scenario'. So in the, in the worst possible situation, if the worst thing were to happen, you know, the worst thing to happen, we just look for the red rock, we look for Uluru, and we just go straight walking to that and we'll find our way back to the campsite. You know, 'Worst case scenario, we just start walking towards the red rock and find our way back from there.'.

Just then they came across an emu standing in the middle of their path. An 'emu'. Australia's is Australia's largest bird. It must be. Must be Australia's largest bird. Flightless, you know.

The tall bird eyed them suspiciously, making Shelly freeze. So if you 'get eyed' or someone 'eyes' you, it's they're looking at you. And suspiciously, it's like they're not sure what to make of you. They're like, um, you know, what is this? Who is this, mmm?

Crikey, that's a big bird! Shelly exclaimed, her heart racing. 'Crikey!' This is an exclamation, a way of showing shock, surprise, that you're impressed! Crikey! Crikey! That's a big bird! Shelly 'exclaimed', she 'said out loud', her 'heart racing', like oof! Her heart's beating really quickly.

Trev chuckled. You know, don't sweat it, Shelly. Emus are all bluff, all bark and no bite. So, 'don't sweat it'. Don't worry about it. Don't sweat because you're nervous about that thing. Don't sweat it. Don't worry about the emu.

Emus are all 'bluff'. They're just pretending to be scary, right? They're bluffing. They're all bluff. 'All bark and no bite', right. This is the idea, I guess, with a dog that it barks a lot and it looks scary, but it never actually bites, so it's on, you know, the front of things. It seems one way. Very scary, but it's actually not something you should be afraid of, that you should be scared of.

At the end of the day, they're just oversized chooks. You know, 'at the end of the day', when it comes down to it. Ultimately they're just 'oversized chooks', meaning they're just very large chickens, right? And a chicken usually is something you probably aren't afraid of. You know, maybe there are some people who are quite afraid of chickens. I bet there's a phobia for chickens if you look it up.

He gave her a reassuring grin. There's 'reassuring' again. But now it's an adjective, a 'reassuring grin', like it's okay. Trying to ease her nerves, trying to make her feel comfortable. Not scared anymore.

But Shelly wasn't convinced. You say that. But I once saw a mother hen take down a hawk with her claws when it came after her chicks. So, there's some cool vocab here. 'I once saw a mother hen', so, a chicken with chicks. 'Take down'. This would be like to fight and to bring to the ground, right? To take someone down.

A 'hawk', that's a bird of prey. So it's got talons. It's like an eagle. It's like a falcon. It's another one of those sort of birds of prey. It's a hawk with its claws when it 'came after' her chicks. To 'come after something' is to pursue something, to try and get something to come after them. So it was going after the baby chickens, the chicks and the mother hen took the hawk down.

Trevor's 'eyebrows shot up'. So, he's obviously a sort of impressed, shocked surprise. Like, Whoa! Fair dinkum. Okay, then I've got to do the voice. God.

Fair dinkum. Okay, then. Well, if this big fella's got any young ones around? Let's just make sure we give them a wide berth. He laughed, though there was a hint of caution in his tone. 'Fair dinkum'. Another great Australian expression, meaning here in this case, Are you serious? It's like used to check. Are you being honest? Are you being serious? Are you being authentic? Fair dinkum. Like, Really? Fair dinkum!

Okay, then. Well, if this big 'fella'- we're using 'fella' again to mean thing. Could be a boy. Could be a girl. Typically 'fella' is going to be used for men, but you know what I mean. Especially in emus. In the case of emus, it's the boys that or the the men, the males that take care of the chicks.

Um, If this big fella's got any 'young ones' around- so, any 'babies' nearby, Let's make sure we give him a 'wide berth'. We give them, we give them a wide berth. We stay away from them, right. It's like you trace the, what would you say? There's this, the radius. You know, around the thing that you're avoiding. You're giving it a wide berth. You're keeping your distance, um, from that thing.

As they wandered off the trail. As they wandered off the trail, Trevor suddenly stopped. Whoa! Snake ahead. He raised a hand, signalling Shelly and Bruce to freeze. So 'snake ahead'. There is a snake in front of us, and to 'wander off something' is to, like, walk off the trail. So they've taken that side trail again. They're wandering off the trail. So there's a snake there. Whoa! Snake ahead. And 'to freeze' is to stop moving.

Shelly's heart pounded as she spotted the brown snake basking in the sun, its scales shimmering. 'Basking'. If you 'bask' in the sun, it's like you're lying down, getting the warmth from the sun. Reptiles do this to heat up. They bask in the sun. Um. So sunbathing, sunbathing, that's what they do, right? To heat up. It scales, 'shimmering'.

So the light is flickering, shining off these scales. And they're kind of, what would you say? They're brilliantly shining, you know, they're shimmering.

That's one of the deadly ones, right? She whispered, her throat tight with fear. 'One of the deadly ones' here is referring to the venomous snakes in Australia, and she's like, that's one of the ones that will kill you if it bites you, right? It's one of the deadly ones.

Trev nodded calmly. Yep. That's a nope rope. They're pretty much all deadly out here. But don't panic. They only bite if they feel threatened. So, a 'nope rope'. This is great Australian expression for a snake. Pretty much 'nope ropes', as in Nope! Not touching it! Not dealing with it. Not going near it. 'Nope'. And 'rope'. Obviously. You know what a rope is, right? A cord, something that you can tie around something to. Something that's a rope. So a 'nope rope'. It's a rhyming I guess. You know, bit of slang here for a snake. It's a 'nope rope'. No way. Nope, nope. They only they only bite if they feel threatened. If they feel like you're going to hurt them, harm them? That's when they defend themselves.

Before anyone could move. A rustling sound came from the nearby bushes. So, 'rustling' is like, it's like the leaves or the twigs and everything's sort of rubbing against each other. So it came from the nearby bushes.

Bruce's eyes widened as a massive perentie goanna lumbered into view, its muscular body moving with surprising speed. So, 'to lumber' is to kind of like, walk heavily, you know, like walking. Yeah. 'To lumber'. It's almost like you're limping. But just it's a descriptive way of sort of walking but like, yeah, moving around quite a bit. So it 'lumbered into view' for them to be able to see it came out of the bushes, it 'came into view'. Its 'muscular body' moving with surprising speed. It's got lots of muscles. Muscular body.

Whoa, look at that monster, Bruce muttered, awe and tension mixing in his voice. So, 'monster' here. It's not like a literal monster. Something to be afraid of, but like we use this in English to mean someone or something very big. Something very impressive. You know, you might have a mate who goes to the gym, uses steroids. He's absolutely massive. You could say he's a monster. You know, he's a beast. He's a monster.

Shelly froze, watching the goanna 'approach' the snake. So it's getting closer to the snake. Is it going after the snake? She asked 'in disbelief'. 'In disbelief' is if you ask something, say something, do something, and 'in disbelief' look a certain way in disbelief. It's so you don't believe that thing. You're like, Really? You're you're skeptical, you're doubtful. You're sort of like, What? Is that going to happen? You say that 'in disbelief'. You don't believe that thing is going to happen.

Without warning, the perentie 'lunged' at the brown snake with lightning speed. 'To lunge' at something is to sort of jump at something, suddenly, right? To lunge at that thing. 'With lightning speed', to do it very quickly. Right? Lightning is incredibly fast. Lightning speed is very, very quick.

Its powerful jaws snapped around the snake's 'middle', so around the 'centre' of the snake, crushing its body. The snake 'thrashed violently' so, to 'move around', right, to 'thrash'. But the goanna 'held firm'.

It 'held on' to it, shaking the prey viciously, shaking its prey viciously until its movements became sluggish. And then it fell limp. 'Sluggish'. If something is 'sluggish', it is slow. You know, if you got an anaesthetic because you need an operation initially before you go all lights out and pass out, you're going to be sluggish. You're going to be like, uh, you know, if you get really drunk, you'll be sluggish. It slows you down.

And then to 'fall limp' would be the idea of like, the snake is alive, moving around, and then all of a sudden it's dead and it's just it's 'gone limp'. It's not moving anymore. It's hanging down in the goanna's mouth.

Trevor's eyes were wide as he whispered, Now that's something you don't see every day. And you'll notice an interesting way that I pronounce the word 'something', right then, right. Now that's somethin'. Somethin' ING. Ing can be pronounced as /ən/, right, with the schwa and just the N sound.

/ən/ /ən/ So instead of /ing/, /ən/ /somethən/. That's not something. What. Let me do it again. Now that's /somethən/ /somethən/ you don't see every day. That is something that is very rare. It's not common. You don't see it every single day. That's something you don't see every day. Good expression.

The three stood 'motionless'. You know they're 'not moving'. They're motionless. They are without motion. Watching is the goanna 'dragged' the lifeless snake into the bushes, disappearing as quickly as it had arrived. So it's 'dragging'. It's pulling that snake. And it's 'lifeless'. It's 'dead'. The body is not moving. It's without life. It's limp and he's pulling it into the bushes.

Bruce let out a breath like, Huh! Guess we won't have to worry about that one anymore. So again, we're dropping these words. 'I guess we won't have to worry about that one anymore'. So we're not going to have to worry about that snake. It's dealt with. It's dead. It's not going to be a problem. It's not an issue anymore. She'll be right.

Shelly's heart was still racing, so she's still like, Jesus, I can't believe. I can't believe what we just saw. A goanna 'taking down' a brown snake. There's that phrasal verb again. To 'take something down'. To 'take it down'. To get it, to capture it, to kill it. I didn't even know they could do that.

Trev nodded, his voice low but calm. Perenties are 'top predators' out here. They'll eat just about anything they can get their hands on. Well, jaws on. And snakes are fair game too. So, a 'top predator' is a predator at the top of the food chain. You know it is an animal that is going to eat pretty much everything below it, right? Or at least all the other animals below it. It doesn't have to worry about any other predators. It is a top predator. Sharks are top predators. Lions are top predators.

They'll eat just about anything they can 'get their hands on'. If you 'get your hands on something', it's you obtain that thing, you get that thing. And obviously here he says, Well, 'jaws' on' because goannas don't have hands. So and they grab things with their mouths. So he's saying anything they can get their 'jaws' on. So he's turned an expression sort of more literally by changing the words there to fit the goanna.

And snakes are 'fair game' too. 'Fair game'. If something is 'fair game', it's like you can go after that thing too. It's not off limits. So snakes are also available. They're fair game, you know.

This is a cool one. You could say this. Like if you go to a party and there's, you know, food out on the table, maybe there's only one sausage or two sausages left. You might say, you know, everyone's eaten already. There's a few sausages left and you may be like, Are these fair game? As in, does anyone else want them or are they? Is it okay for me to get them? Are they fair game? Are they available? Can I have them?

Bruce chuckled. 'Nature handled that for us'. We didn't even have to lift a finger. So 'nature handled that for us'. The natural environment dealt with the snake. The goanna came out and handled it, dealt with it, took care of it.

And, 'We didn't have to lift a finger'. We didn't have to do anything. If you don't lift a finger, you don't have to lift a finger. You don't have to do anything. That's how easy the job is. That's how much you're not required to be involved at all. You don't even have to lift a finger to help.

Shelly exhaled slowly as she finally relaxed. I'm just glad we were spectators for that showdown. So, what now? So if you're 'glad', you're happy. She's glad that they were spectators. She's glad they got to see it. And a 'showdown'. A fight between two things, right? The snake and the goanna. What now?

Bruce pointed to a gap in the bushes. Let's take the long way round, just in case there are more critters looking for dinner. So let's go the long way. I guess he's already on a side trail and he's saying, Let's go even further out. Um, to avoid this area because there could be more snakes here. There could be more animals looking for their dinner. Um, we don't want to cross paths with those animals. We want to give them a wide berth. We want to stay away from them, keep our distance.

They moved carefully. One foot in front of the other, all eyes still scanning the path ahead of them. So, 'one foot in front of the other'. That is obviously to walk. You put one foot in front of the other. 'All eyes still scanning the path', that's everyone is still looking at the path, watching for snakes, watching for animals. They're 'scanning' it. They're like looking back and forth. They're scanning the path.

Shelly's legs 'felt like jelly', right? She's very tired. She's walked a long way and they 'feel like jelly'. They're sort of like they've got no. Um. What would you say? Rigidity. She can. She can't. She can't walk up. She can't. She can't stand up, right. She's tired.

But she focussed on breathing evenly. So she's focusing on her breathing as she's walking. Relieved to be getting out of the situation unscathed. So, she's removing herself from the situation. She's 'leaving it without being injured'. She is 'unscathed'. She's unharmed. She's not injured.

Once they were a safe distance away. Bruce looked back with a grin. He looked back. Well, that was 'wild', but I reckon we're in the clear now. 'Wild', exciting. Um, you know. Entertaining. Ooh, that was wild. That was full on. That was impressive. But 'I reckon', I think, I believe. I'm of the opinion that we're in the clear now.

We're safe. We're all fine. We're in the clear. Too easy. So this is a good expression in Australian English meaning, Yeah, that's easy. That's all right. That's that's simple, you know.

Too easy. Trev said with a wink. Nature's always got 'something up her sleeve'. If you've 'got something up your sleeve', you 'have a surprise'. You've got a trick. You've got something that you can rely on to get you out of a tough situation. You know, to have a lot of things up your sleeve. It's like you've always got the answers. You've always got something you can rely on to help you out. So, nature obviously has surprises. It's got something up its sleeve. And the idea here is that it's like a magician has cards or a parrot or a bird or something up his sleeve to do his tricks.

By the time they got back to camp, the sun was setting behind Uluru. And exhaustion mixed with satisfaction hung in the air. So, a bit of poetry then going on there too. 'By the time', so, 'when' they got back to the camp, the sun was setting behind Uluru again. Everyone was exhausted but satisfied. That's the idea. You look around, you can see everyone's exhausted, but they're also satisfied. So, it's 'hanging in the air'. It's 'palpable'. You could feel that exhaustion, but satisfaction.

They settled by the fire, the flickering flames keeping the desert night chill at bay. So, the 'desert night chill'. The coldness that comes with the desert night. And if you 'keep something at bay', you 'keep that thing away'. It's a good expression. Keep someone at bay to keep something at bay. You're keeping it away. You're making sure it doesn't get you, come near you, right? So you might stay fit and healthy to keep sickness away, to keep it at bay.

Shelly stretched out a grin on her face. Well, that was an 'epic' trip. 'Epic'. This is cool. This is an adjective we use in Australia quite often to mean awesome, amazing, incredible, epic. Oh man, that was epic. That was epic.

Bruce nodded, smiling. 'Too right!' You're getting the hang of it. Won't be long before you're a proper local too, right? We use this in Australia to agree with someone. As in you are very correct. What you said is exact. You know, I agree with you. You are 'too right'. You're too right. I don't know how you can be too right. You're either right or wrong, right? You can't be too right, like it's too much. You know, it's a weird one. 'Too right', so, 'I agree with you'.

You're 'getting the hang of it'. You're starting to understand it. You're starting to enjoy it. You're starting to get it, you know, to get the hang of something, to understand something.

'It won't be long'. 'Won't be long' before you're a proper local. 'Won't be long' before you're one of us. It won't take long. It won't be a long time before you're just like everyone else here.

As the stars began to appear, Trev leaned back, 'gazing' at the star at the sky. So, 'to gaze' at something is to stare at something. To look at something.

Doesn't get better than this, eh? Just us, the land, and the stars. Again, we're dropping so many words and we're using that 'eh' tag question. 'It doesn't get better than this'. Like, this is really amazing. How incredible is this? Nothing is better than this. It doesn't get better than this. This is how good life can be.

'Eh' as in, 'don't you agree'? It doesn't get better than this, does it? We can say, 'huh', you can say 'eh'. 'Just us'. It's just us, the land, and the stars, you know. How's the serenity?

Shelly smiled softly. Yeah, I could get used to this. We use that phrase there meaning- not literally. Like, oh, I guess I could become accustomed to this, but more like, I could do this quite a lot. You know, I could get used to this. You can use it when talking about anything you're enjoying that is new, right? I could get used to this. You know, someone comes up and gives you a massage. Your wife, you know, she doesn't do it normally. She just suddenly appears she's giving me a massage. I could be like, Whoa, I could get used to this. You know, if you wanted to do this every day, I'd be all for it. I could get used to it.

Suddenly, a rustling came from the bushes. Shelly sat up, alert. Did you hear that? Did you hear that? You know, 'sat up'. And she's 'alert'. She's listening. She's alarmed. She's sort of aware.

Bruce cocked his head so to 'cock his head', I guess, is to sort of, like, look up and look around, right? He's moved his head suddenly. Yeah. 'Something's out there'. 'Something is out there'. A small creature hopped into view, its long ears twitching. So the, 'to twitch' is to sort of, like, move about quickly. Um, you know, like, if I had a if I had a bigger moustache, I could sort of twitch it by moving my lip.

A small creature 'hopped into view', so it hopped and everyone started seeing it, right? Like it was hopping until it was seen. It hopped into view. Shelly's 'eyes widened'. What is that? So her eyes widened. She's shocked. She's surprised. She's impressed.

What is that? Trev grinned. That, Shelly, is a bilby. Rare little guy. Lucky to see one. Dropping loads of things here too. That is 'a bilby'. A 'bilby' is a native Australian marsupial. It's a 'rare little guy'. It's a 'rare animal'. We're lucky to see one. You're lucky to see one.

A bilby! I thought they were almost 'extinct'! If something is 'extinct', it's an animal. It's an organism that no longer exists. All of them have died. I thought it was almost extinct. Shelly's excitement was obvious. Trev nodded. Hard to spot one in the wild. Usually stick to their burrows, but looks like we've got a curious one tonight. 'It's hard to spot them in the wild'. It's hard to see them in nature. It's rare. It's not common.

They usually 'stick to their burrows'. They stay in their holes, in the ground, in their burrows. But it looks like we've 'got a curious one tonight'. We have a curious one that has found us, and we've got it in front of us. We've got a curious one tonight, so it's cool.

All these words dropping again here. 'Hard to spot one in the wild'. 'Usually stick to their burrows', but 'looks like we've got a curious one tonight'. So again, these are just natural ways that we would speak English. Dropping all of these pronouns, shortening everything because it's obvious from context what you're saying.

The bilby hopped closer, 'sniffing' around the fire. Right, to sniff. Shelly chuckled as it nibbled. Take little bites from on a piece of fruit Trev 'tossed its way'. So, he threw a little bit of fruit at the bilby for it to eat. The bilby has grabbed it and is taking little bites from it, 'nibbling' on that bit of fruit.

It's like something out of a storybook, right? Because they are weird looking animals. They are like these, you know, rabbit ears. But the kangaroo, kind of like little bodies and black tail and like a really pointy nose. And they just, they're weird. They're really cool, but they're just weird.

Bruce grinned. Looks like he's 'made himself at home'. If you 'make yourself at home', you treat the environment like you're very comfortable there, right? Like, if I walk into the neighbour's house and I just sit down, get a beer out of the fridge and turn the TV on, I'm 'making myself at home' like it's my home.

After a few minutes, the bilby 'bounded' back into the night, disappearing as quietly as it had come. So 'bounded', jumped off, disappeared into the night. Shelly exhaled, still amazed. Oh, that was incredible. I never expected to see something like that. That's the outback, you know. That's what it's like out here, Bruce said, poking the fire. 'Full of surprises'. 'It's' full of surprises. There's lots here that will shock you, that will surprise you, that will impress you. The Outback is full of surprises.

Trev laughed, leaning back. Nature's always got something in store if you're 'willing to look'. Right, so if you're 'willing to look'. If you are willing to pay attention, look around, to notice things. Nature has something in store. As in, it has a surprise. It has something to show you. It has it in store.

As the fire crackled and the desert air cooled, Shelly felt a deep connection to the land, knowing this moment would stay with her long after her trip was over.

So again, that 'fire' 'crackling', 'desert air' is 'cooling down' and Shelly feels 'connected to this place'. You know, 'comfortable' there. She likes the place and is going to remember it for a very long time after the trip.

Okay, so now it's time to play that story one more time for you guys, and then we'll finish up.

The sun was starting to rise as Shelly adjusted her backpack, feeling the excitement and nerves settle in. She had always loved the idea of adventure, but this trip was something else. Camping and hiking around Uluru, in the heart of the Australian outback was a far cry from her usual city life. It was the kind of trip she dreamed about for years, but now that she was here, it was a whole new ball game.

The red dust, the endless sky, and the stories she'd heard about the land made her eager yet slightly anxious. As a Brit, she was still finding her feet when it came to all the Australian slang and the dry humour. Her friends always threw her way, but she was determined to take it all in her stride.

Her Aussie mates Bruce and Trev were already loading up the ute. She had met them last year shortly after arriving in Australia. Bruce, always laid back with a cheeky grin, knew the outback like the back of his hand.

Trev, quieter but sharp eyed, was the animal lover of the group, constantly spotting wildlife Shelly would miss.

No worries, Shelly, you'll be right! Bruce said with a grin as he tossed his gear into the back of the ute. Just chuck your gear in and let's get going.

Shelly smiled, trying her best to fit in. She'd heard the phrase no worries a hundred times since landing in Australia, but it was still funny to her as she put her backpack into the ute. Trev was busy studying the ground.

See this? That's a dingo track. He said, pointing at some paw prints in the dust. Australia's only native dog. Bet we'll spot a few of those fellas soon.

They set off down the long, dusty road towards Uluru, the massive red rock looming on the horizon. Shelly was taking it all in the wide open spaces, the smell of the dry earth and the occasional sight of a kangaroo hopping in the distance.

So, Uluru really is out in woop woop, huh? Shelly tried out her new Aussie slang, making Bruce and Trev chuckle.

Yeah, that's the spirit! Bruce replied, giving her a thumbs up. Won't take you long to wrap your head around our lingo.

By the time they arrived at their campsite, the sun was sinking behind Uluru, casting long shadows across the desert. The temperature had already started to drop, and the dry heat of the day was quickly replaced by the cool evening breeze. They set up their tents and lit a campfire. The crackling flames breaking the stillness of the outback night.

Shelly stared up at the sky, her breath catching in her throat. It's like nothing I've ever seen before. Look at all those stars, she whispered, awestruck at the sight.

Yeah, it's a ripper, Trevor said, settling down by the fire. Nothing like a night out bush to remind you how big this place is.

Bruce chuckled, poking the fire with a stick. Just watch out for the drop bears, Shelly. Wouldn't want one of them dropping out of a tree and landing on you in your sleep.

Shelly rolled her eyes, used to their playful teasing by now. She'd heard enough about these mythical creatures to know they were just pulling her leg, but the dark, unfamiliar outback still made her a little wary.

As the night wore on, they chewed the fat around the fire, swapping stories. The occasional snap of the burning wood mixed with their laughter, creating a sense of calm after the long day of travel. In the distance, a dingo howl echoed across the desert, making Shelly jump.

Bruce grinned, noticing her reaction. Keep your shirt on, Shell. Don't pack your dacks, mate. That's just the locals saying g'day.

Shelly shook her head, smiling despite herself. Yeah, I'm fine as long as they keep their distance.

Trev leaned back, stretching his legs toward the fire. Tomorrow's hike will take us around the base of Uluru. Should be more wildlife than you can shake a stick at. Hopefully less scary than the dingoes, though, eh, Shelly? he added with a wink.

Bruce nodded. It'll be a long trek, but we'll take it easy. We'll hit the highlights around the rock, see the waterholes, and if we're lucky, check out a few more rare critters. Piece of cake, but better get some shut eye tonight, guys!

Shelly took a deep breath, feeling the weight of tomorrow's adventure ahead. She gazed up at the stars again, the vastness of the outback wrapping around her like a blanket. I reckon I'll sleep like a log tonight, she said, her voice soft with exhaustion and contentment.

As the fire slowly died down, they each crawled into their tents, the sound of the desert night lulling them to sleep, ready for the day that lay ahead.

The next morning, the group set out for their hike around the base of Uluru. Shelly marvelled at the sheer size of the rock, its red surface glowing under the hot sun. Along the way, she spotted a few kangaroos bounding across the scrub.

Trev, the animal lover, was in his element. Did you know Uluru is home to all sorts of beasties? We might even see a perentie if we're lucky. Biggest lizard you'll ever see around here.

As they trekked further, Bruce decided to explore a side trail. Shelly hesitated. Are you sure this is the right way?

Bruce waved her off. No dramas, mate, we're just taking the scenic route!

But after a while it became clear they were a little lost. Shelly's nerves started to show. We're not lost, are we?

Bruce scratched his head. Nah, she'll be right, he said reassuringly. Worst case scenario, we just start walking towards the red rock and find our way back from there.

Just then they came across an emu standing in the middle of their path. The tall bird eyed them suspiciously, making Shelly freeze.

Crikey, that's a big bird! Shelly exclaimed, her heart racing.

Trev chuckled. Don't sweat it, Shelly. Emus are all bluff, all bark and no bite. At the end of the day, they're just oversized chooks. He gave her a reassuring grin, trying to ease her nerves.

But Shelly wasn't convinced. You say that, but I once saw a mother hen take down a hawk with her claws when it came after her chicks.

Trevor's eyebrows shot up. Fair dinkum! Okay, then. Well, if this big fella's got any young ones around, let's just make sure we give him a wide berth! He laughed, though there was a hint of caution in his tone.

As they wandered off the trail. Trevor suddenly stopped. Whoa! Snake ahead! He raised a hand, signalling Shelly and Bruce to freeze.

Shelly's heart pounded as she spotted the brown snake basking in the sun, its scales shimmering. That's, that's one of the deadly ones, right? She whispered, her throat tight with fear.

Trev nodded calmly. Yep. That's a nope rope. They're pretty much all deadly out here, but don't panic. They only bite if they feel threatened.

Before anyone could move, a rustling sound came from the nearby bushes. Bruce's eyes widened as a massive perentie goanna lumbered into view, its muscular body moving with surprising speed.

Whoa, look at that monster! Bruce muttered, or intention mixing in his voice.

Shelly froze, watching the goanna approach the snake. Is it going after the snake? She asked in disbelief.

Without warning, the perentie lunged at the brown snake with lightning speed. Its powerful jaws snapped around the snake's middle, crushing its body. The snake thrashed violently, but the goanna held firm, shaking its prey viciously until its movements became sluggish and then it fell limp.

Trev's eyes were wide as he whispered, now that's something you don't see every day.

The three stood motionless, watching as the goanna dragged the lifeless snake into the bushes, disappearing as quickly as it had arrived.

Bruce let out a breath. Whoa! Guess we won't have to worry about that one anymore.

Shelly's heart was still racing. I can't believe what we just saw. A goanna taking down a brown snake. I didn't even know they did that.

Trev nodded, his voice low but calm. Perenties are top predators out here. They'll eat just about anything they can get their hands on. Well, 'jaws' on. And snakes are fair game too.

Bruce chuckled. Nature handled that for us. We didn't have to lift a finger.

Shelly exhaled slowly as she finally relaxed. Oh, I'm just glad we were spectators for that showdown. So what now?

Bruce pointed to a gap in the bushes. Let's take the long way round, just in case there are more critters looking for dinner.

They moved carefully, one foot in front of the other, all eyes still scanning the path ahead. Shelly's legs felt like jelly, but she focussed on breathing evenly, relieved to be getting out of the situation unscathed.

Once they were a safe distance away, Bruce looked back with a grin. Well, that was wild, but I reckon we're in the clear now.

Too easy! Trev said with a wink. Nature's always got something up her sleeve.

By the time they got back to camp, the sun was setting behind Uluru, and exhaustion mixed with satisfaction hung in the air. They settled by the fire, the flickering flames keeping the desert night chill at bay.

Shelly stretched out a grin on her face. Well, that was an epic trip.

Bruce nodded, smiling. Too right. You're getting the hang of it. Won't be long before you're a proper local.

As the stars began to appear, Trev leaned back, gazing at the sky. Doesn't get better than this, eh? Just us, the land, and the stars.

Shelly smiled softly. Yeah, I could get used to this.

Suddenly a rustling came from the bushes. Shelly sat up, alert. Did you hear that?

Bruce cocked his head. Yeah.

Something's out there.

A small creature hopped into view, its long ears twitching. Shelly's eyes widened. What is that?

Trev grinned. That, Shelly, is a bilby. Rare little guy. Lucky to see one!

A bilby? I thought they were almost extinct! Shelly's excitement was obvious.

Trev nodded. Hard to spot one in the wild. Usually stick to their burrows, but looks like we've got a curious one tonight.

The bilby hopped closer, sniffing around the fire. Shelly chuckled as it nibbled on a piece of fruit Trev tossed its way. It's like something out of a storybook.

Bruce grinned. Looks like he's made himself at home.

After a few minutes, the bilby bounded back into the night, disappearing as quietly as it had come.

Shelly exhaled, still amazed. Oh, that was incredible. I never expected to see something like that.

That's the outback, Bruce said, poking the fire. Full of surprises.

Trev smiled, leaning back. Nature's always got something in store if you're willing to look.

As the fire crackled and the desert air cooled, Shelly felt a deep connection to the land, knowing this moment would stay with her long after the trip was over.

All right, so hopefully you enjoyed this episode, guys. Remember, if you've got suggestions for episodes you'd like me to create in the future, put them in a comment below. Get the worksheet down below, if you haven't already. And remember, you can listen to this episode as a podcast episode on the Aussie English Podcast as well, so go and subscribe to that. You can download it via any good podcast app. Besides that, I am Pete, this is Aussie English. Youtube reckons you're going to enjoy this video next and I'll see you next time. Tooroo!