Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus./N.Z.) a derelict person, a down-and-out; also as general term of insult; thus attrib.

1983		J. Byrell (con. 1959) Up the Cross 95: [G]ood ole Rover was [...] staggering around like a Belmore Park dero.
1984		P. Corris ‘Heroin Annie’ in Heroin Annie [e-book] Outside the shop he shoved his hand into this rubbish bin, like a derro.
1998		P. Doyle (con. late 1950s) Amaze Your Friends (2019) 151: A bunch of semi-derros and ex-cons.
1999		P. Temple Black Tide (2012) [ebook] Part of it burned down [...] and it served as dero accomodation.
2000		P. Temple Dead Point (2008) [ebook] Streets empty, sometimes a dero lying on the pavement.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl.
2009		T. Black Gutted 253: I pointed the way through the winding streets, littered with deros, trash and more than a few needles.
2013		D. Whish-Wilson Zero at the Bone [ebook] The usual Fremantle crowd. Workers and Abos and deros and Rajneeshees – every third person a nutcase.
2018		C. Hammer Scrublands [ebook] The derro continues on his shambling way.