Why is Australia called OZ?

Question

But then why not spell is Aus?

Answer 1

In the 1960s a group of expatriate Australians in London, led by Richard Neville, started a satirical/alternative magazine called "Oz". It had originally been published in Sydney. The name was taken from "The Wizard of Oz" but used as a play on the abbreviation for Australia. Barry Humphries wrote the comic strip The Adventures of Barry McKenzie for the magazine.

Richard Neville and Martin Sharp were charged with obscenity in Australia in 1964. They were found guilty but won the appeal. In 1971, Richard Neville. Jim Anderson and Felix Dennis were charged with obscenity in London over the Schoolkids Issue where schoolchildren wrote the magazine that week. Again they were found guilty but won on appeal.

The name Oz in reference to Australia has stuck and is commonly used today. David Williamson, probably Australia's best playwright, wrote a play about Sydney called "Emerald City" using the well established Oz idea for his title.

Answer 2

Well, in fact Australia is not called OZ, other than by foreigners.
If I'm asked where I come from I say "Australia". I am an Aussie.
Oz is from the Wizard of Oz, and it just happens to sound like "Aus" at the beginning of Australia.
And by the way, I used to love reading the adventures of Barry Mackenzie in the mag. He was a real hoot and introduced such phrases as "technicolour yawn" to the vocabulary.

Answer 3

When our convict ancestors were sent here to "No Mans Land" the convict asked the aborigine the name of the very large birds walking around but cant fly and were told they are named "Ostrich" and as they were rejects from england they could not spell.
so at night in there 5 star accommodation they would email letters back to the "Old Dart" telling there family about the BIG birds and as they did not have a spelling checker in those days they simply would call the birds "OZ"
Since then people call Australia OZ.

Answer 4

Elizabeth and Tentofield have the wrong interpretation of OZ.
The event they refer to may be factual but Oztralians have been known as Aussies or Ozzies since Australia was colonised.

Flotsam and Jetsam, a popular vocal duo of the 20s and 30s, sang a song entitled "Is 'e an Ozzie, is 'e, Lizzie?"

And another answerer suggests that Australians don't call themselves Aussies or Ozzies. (Either spelling is correct; they are pronounced the same and are interchangeable). This person just hasn't been listening.

Answer 5

Listen to tentofield he has the origin of Oz correct.

In my opinion, it helps to spell it Oz so that people from overseas, usually Americans, might learn to to say Aussie correctly.

I don't know why, but many Americans say Osssy and not the correct Ozzie for the word Aussie.

That's just my opinion, but it makes sense to me. The American pronounciation really grates on me.

Answer 6

It's because we can't spell Australia.

The US has gone about bastardizing the Queen's English for a number of years now. We are starting the same practice - & Oz for Australia is a prime example!

Answer 7

It basically comes from the way we pronounce Australia...with some Aussie's it comes out sounding like Oz-stralia.

Answer 8

because it's Auz - stralia. Just a shortened form of the name.
Kinda like calling Edward, Ed

Answer 9

Shorten the name. Auss sounds like what?

Answer 10

Because its at the end of the rainbow....

And where the tin man lives!!!!
Plus Dorothy.