Did you know that there's a uniquely Aussie way to measure how far you'll travel?

That moment when someone tells you a place is 'just around the corner' and you end up driving for 45 minutes—sound familiar?

If you've ever been baffled by Australian distance descriptions, you're definitely not alone. A clever Aussie comedian has just cracked the code on our wonderfully vague way of describing how far things actually are.

The bloke behind the brilliant breakdown

Monty Franklin is an Australian born stand up comedian now based in LA. He tours all over the world headlining some of the biggest comedy clubs and also opens for Rob Schneider, Joe Rogan and Jim Breuer.

Monty's online videos pointing out the 'perils' of being an Australian living in America have massed over 1 billion views. He was on episode #1794 of The Joe Rogan Experience and is currently appearing in Real Rob on Netflix, seasons 1 & 2.

So when this seasoned comic decided to tackle Australian distance expressions in a video, people paid attention.

His 35-second explanation of 'How distance works in Australia' struck such a chord that it's been viewed over 1.1 million times and sparked thousands of comments from both locals and international visitors trying to decode our unique language.

Breaking down the Aussie distance code

Franklin's analysis covers 11 essential expressions that every Australian instinctively understands:

The close ones:

• 'Yeah, it's right there' = within 300 metres
  
• 'It's walking distance' = within a kilometre
  
• 'Oh, it's a fair walk' = one to three kilometres away

The driving distances:

• 'A quick drive' = five to 10 minutes
  
• 'Not too far' = 10 to 30 minutes
  
• 'Yeah, that's a bit of a drive' = 30 minutes
  
• 'Decent drive' = one to two hours

The serious commitments:

• 'It's a bit of a mission' = five to 10 hours of driving
  
• 'Oof, tough drive' = 10 to 20 hours, usually requiring an overnight stop
  
• 'It's a good drive though' = any distance, if the scenery is nice
  
• 'You don't want to drive that' = you will die

The expressions Monty missed

Franklin's comprehensive list had locals chiming in with their favourite distance descriptors that didn't make the cut. 'Within cooee' is another classic—cooee has also become a notional distance: if he's within cooee, we'll spot him. This comes from the traditional Aboriginal call that can travel great distances.

Other gems mentioned in the comments included:

• 'Just around the corner mate' - could be anything from 500 metres to 5 kilometres
  
• 'A bit of a hike' - a fair distance to walk but still doable
  
• 'It's in Woop Woop' - very far away, often implying it's quite remote
  
• 'You'll need a packed lunch' - for those truly epic drives that require serious preparation

The cultural DNA of Australian distance talk

Amanda Laugesen, chief editor of the Australian National Dictionary, through the Australian National University (ANU) tells CNN Travel many Aussie expressions have roots in British English, but Australian English has also uniquely incorporated words from the country's Indigenous languages.

Fairness and anti-authoritarianism have become a common theme in the lingo as it has evolved over time, Laugesen says.

Our casual approach to distance reflects something deeper about Australian culture. By the end of the 19th century, Australians began to really embrace their own distinctive accent and language, which really 'marks out Australians as being different from the British.' Living on the world's sixth-largest country meant developing a uniquely relaxed relationship with distance and time.

The academic perspective reveals that a roaring bull can be heard over a great distance, so that to be not within a bull's roar is to be a considerable distance away. The phrase is sometimes used without the negative—to be within a bull's roar means that you are not too far away. The phrase is first recorded in the 1930s.

Regional flavours and variations

Urban areas like Sydney and Melbourne showcase distinct urban dialects. In Sydney, you'll notice a relaxed tone with an emphasis on casual expressions. Melbourne's dialect stands out for its unique vowel sounds, shaped by its diverse population.

These regional differences extend to distance descriptions too. What constitutes 'walking distance' in Melbourne's compact inner suburbs differs significantly from the sprawling outer areas of Perth or Darwin. Country folk tend to be more generous with their distance estimates—partly because they're more accustomed to longer drives, and partly because the journey often involves better scenery and less traffic stress.

International recognition of Aussie distance wisdom

The video's success wasn't just limited to Australian audiences. Viewers from Canada, the United States, and other countries noted striking similarities to their own regional expressions. A Canadian commenter observed they 'understood each distance immediately,' while Americans from the Midwest claimed their distance descriptions aligned perfectly with the Australian system.

He has toured over 40 states of the US, performing to over 1 million Americans. This international perspective has given Franklin unique insights into how Australians communicate differently, making him the perfect translator for our distinctly Aussie approach to space and time.

The universal appeal suggests that perhaps these expressions aren't uniquely Australian after all—they might just be the natural way humans describe distance when they live in vast countries where driving for hours is considered perfectly normal.

Why these expressions matter

Understanding Australian distance language isn't just about avoiding confusion—it's about appreciating a unique part of our cultural identity. Australian slang is certainly 'interesting'! Whether you're dreaming of visiting Australia, have just arrived or have been in this gigantic island of paradise for a while, there are a few Australian slang words that you should learn to help you get through day to day life.

These expressions reveal our practical approach to life, our connection to the landscape, and our tendency to downplay challenges while maintaining optimism. When an Australian says 'it's a good drive though,' they're not just giving you directions—they're sharing their appreciation for the journey itself.

For older Australians, these phrases connect us to generations of storytellers who understood that the journey often matters more than the destination. They're linguistic shortcuts that carry decades of shared experience about what it means to live in a country where the next town might be hundreds of kilometres away.

What distance expressions do you find yourself using most often? Have you ever confused visitors with your casual approach to describing how far things are? Share your favourite Aussie distance descriptions in the comments—we'd love to hear the regional variations that make our language so wonderfully diverse.