Where "What Do You Think This Is, Bush Week?" Comes From
"Bush Week" was a real promotional event first proposed for Sydney in 1918, intended to bring country produce and "bush" culture to the city — but it carried an unspoken, condescending assumption that visitors from the country were easily impressed or fooled.
The event itself struggled and was eventually renamed "Country Week," but the phrase "what do you think this is, bush week?" had already caught on by the 1940s, used to reject being treated like a naive outsider.
"Ten dollars for a coffee? What do you think this is, bush week?"
How Aussies Actually Use It
The phrase is a sharp, indignant way of saying "do you think I'm stupid?" — usually aimed at an unfair price, an obvious excuse, or a blatant attempt to take advantage.
It's often shortened simply to "bush week?" on its own, with the same meaning understood from tone alone.
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