Where "Chuck a Sickie" Comes From
This belongs to a distinctly Australian family of "chuck a ___" phrases for doing something (see also spit the dummy's sibling phrase "chuck a wobbly," for a tantrum). We haven't found a documented first use specifically for the "sickie" version, but the pattern itself — "chuck a" plus almost any noun, to mean "do that thing" — is one of the most productive habits in Australian slang.
A "sickie" is simply a sick day; "chucking" one specifically implies faking it, taking the day off despite feeling perfectly fine.
Sources: sickie, n.1 (Green's Dictionary of Slang) · Meanings & origins: S (Australian National Dictionary Centre)
"Beautiful day - reckon I'll chuck a sickie."
How Aussies Actually Use It
Used almost exclusively about faking illness to skip work, often for a nice day or an event — "beautiful day, reckon I'll chuck a sickie" is a very familiar sentiment.
It's said with a wink rather than any real guilt, treated as a minor, universally understood act of harmless rebellion against the working week.
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