Where "Ratbag" Comes From
"Ratbag" draws on the blunt, unflattering image of a literal bag of rats — chaotic, unpredictable, and more than a little unpleasant to be around. Green's Dictionary of Slang traces it back to 1858, with Australian use well documented by 1926 ("'Oo are you callin' a rat-bag."); one 1965 source suggests it grew from wheat bags with rat-chewed holes, later adopted to describe someone "empty-headed or an idiot."
Australian usage split the word in two directions at once. It can still land as a genuine insult for someone unreliable or unpleasant, but it's just as often used warmly, as a teasing label for a lovable troublemaker — the kind of person whose antics get told as favourite family stories rather than complaints.
Source:
"That kid's a real ratbag, always up to something."
How Aussies Actually Use It
Context and tone do all the work with "ratbag" — said with a laugh about a cheeky child or a larrikin mate, it's affectionate; said flatly about someone's behaviour, it can be a real criticism.
"Old ratbag" is a common, fond way older Australians refer to a long-time mischievous friend, similar to how "you old bugger" gets used.
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