Where "Chockers" Comes From
"Chockers" descends from the nautical term "chock-a-block," describing the moment two pulley blocks in a ship's rigging were hauled so tightly together they jammed and could move no further — "chock" meaning two things pressed so firmly against each other neither can budge, a sense that emerged in the 19th century.
"Chock" itself likely traces back further to "chock-full," dating to around 1400, from Middle English "chokken togeder" (crammed together). The modern shortened forms — British "chocka"/"chocker" and Australian "chockers" — came out of World War Two military slang, keeping the same core meaning of something completely full or crammed, whether that's a stadium, a fridge, or a Friday night pub.
Source:
"Don't bother driving in, the car park's chockers."
How Aussies Actually Use It
It covers anything stuffed to capacity - a fridge, a stadium, a stomach after Christmas lunch.
It's almost always said with a bit of exasperation or pride, depending on what's overflowing.
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