Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus.) something good, worthwhile, the ‘real thing’.

1859		Matsell Vocabulum 55: My pals have got up a bene moey to send to the head bloke, and if it comes off rye buck, I shall soon vamose from the stir.
1897		Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW) 27 May 3/1: ‘My ryebuck’ is my sweetheart. I learnt my slang in Sydney from the Randwick ‘boys’.
1895		H. Lawson ‘For Auld Lang Syne’ in Roderick (1972) 268: There were cakes of tobacco, and books, and papers, and several flasks of ‘ryebuck.’.
1903		Bulletin (Sydney) 27 Aug. 36/2: It’s all ri’buck, Sis, [...] I’m with you.
1906		E. Dyson Fact’ry ’Ands 132: ‘It’s rybuck, girls,’ said Feathers. ‘Yer on velvet. Ther firm’s willin’ t’ accept responsibility fer ther actions iv it’s dooly accredited cat, ’n’ pays compensation.’.
1955		N. Pulliam I Travelled a Lonely Land (1957) 238/1: rybuck (riebuck) – the real thing, genuine.
1984		T. Egan ‘Jacky Howe’ in Shearer’s Songbook 38: Now you’ve heard of all the other shearers / The Ryebucks and the rest.