Where "Bilby" Comes From
The name "bilby" comes from the Yuwaalaraay language, spoken by Aboriginal peoples of northern New South Wales. In Yuwaalaraay, the word describes a "long-nosed rat" — a physical description of the bilby's most distinctive feature, its elongated, pointed snout. The borrowing reflects the broader pattern of Australian English adopting Aboriginal names for native animals that European settlers had no prior category for.
The bilby (Macrotis lagotis) is a marsupial native to arid and semi-arid zones and was once found across much of the Australian continent. Habitat loss, introduced predators — particularly foxes and feral cats — and competition from rabbits reduced bilby populations severely during the 20th century, and the species is now classified as vulnerable. In recent decades, the bilby has taken on cultural significance as the Australian alternative to the Easter Bunny: Easter bilby chocolate figures, promoted by conservation organisations from the 1990s onwards, have turned the animal into a symbol of both Australian uniqueness and environmental awareness.
Source: Wikipedia — “Bilby”
"You can buy chocolate bilbies instead of chocolate bunnies at Easter now."
How Aussies Actually Use It
"Bilby" is used both for the real animal and for the chocolate Easter Bilbies now sold alongside — or instead of — chocolate bunnies in supermarkets each Easter.
It's become a genuine conservation symbol, with sales of chocolate bilbies often supporting bilby protection and habitat restoration programs.
📚 Sources & further reading
- Borrowings from Aboriginal Languages — Australian National Dictionary Centre, ANU
- Greater bilby — Wikipedia
Part of our Aboriginal Loanwords collection →
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