What is a 'matilda'?

It's a bushmans swag - a sort of rolled up bag that held his possessions.

A bushmans swag (also known as a "bluey") is a bedroll, originally a blanket if he were lucky, but maybe only a piece of hessian, or wheat bags - hence the term swaggie. Clean clothes, if possessed, would be in the roll. Usually the only other possessions were a billy (to make tea in) and a "tucker bag", usually an old flour bag, knotted at the top, not rolled.

First answer by Grevillea. Last edit by Templbar. Contributor trust: 0 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 21 [recommend question]