Australian Fly Off The Handle

One of the downsides of living in a land of droughts, flooding plains and poorly skilled motorists is that you’re often provoked to lose your temper.

Such is the frequency with which this occurs in Australia, and the variety of causes and circumstances responsible, that there are many expressions to describe the reaction.

Losing one’s ‘nana’ (banana) or just ‘losing it’ are often used, especially in Queensland, where losing bananas is actually a daily occurrence in many areas.

‘Going apeshit’ is also a popular term, particularly amongst the Northern Territory judiciary.

And Australians will use the expressions “chucking a mental” and “bunging it on” wherever you find mortgage-stressed and/or over-tired and/or intoxicated Australians.

And that’s just about everywhere, except some prisons and drug rehabilitation retreats.