"Load up the esky with stubbies."
Where "Esky" Comes From
"Esky" began as a trademarked brand name, short for "Eskimo," first used by Sydney company Malley's for ice boxes from the 1880s, with the first portable version — the "Esky Auto Box" — launched in 1952.
The name proved so popular and dominant that it became a classic case of "genericide": Australians now use "esky" for any portable cooler, regardless of brand, much like "Hoover" for vacuum cleaners elsewhere.
How Aussies Actually Use It
"Esky" is the default Australian word for a portable cooler, packed with ice, drinks, and food for barbecues, camping trips, and days at the beach.
It's such an entrenched part of the language that most Australians don't think of it as a brand name at all, simply as the generic word for the object.
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