Where "Old Mate" Comes From
There's no single documented "first use" for "old mate" the way there is for some slang terms — it's a natural extension of "mate," built the same way English speakers affectionately tack "old" onto "son" or "girl" regardless of the person's actual age or how well you know them.
What it does have is a genuinely handy function: a way to refer to a person indirectly, whether you don't know their name, can't remember it, or simply don't need to use it for the story you're telling — "old mate at the counter reckoned it'd be ready by Friday" works whether or not you've ever met the man.
"Old mate over there just bought us a round!"
How Aussies Actually Use It
Used constantly to describe a nameless third person in a story — "old mate over there just bought us a round!" is a completely natural way to refer to someone you've never met.
It's genuinely one of the most useful pieces of everyday Australian slang, sidestepping the awkwardness of not knowing (or forgetting) someone's name.
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