Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (Aus.) the trad. title of the wife of the owner or manager of a sheep station.

1893		H. Lawson ‘Settling on the Land’ in Roderick (1972) 72: He got a ‘missus’ and a few cows during the next year.
1908		J. Gunn We of the Never-Never (1962) 91: Good day, boss! Good day, missus!
1954		T. Ronan Vision Splendid 112: The gins ran to the ‘Missus’ screaming for protection.
1957		J. Greenway ‘Australian Cattle Lingo’ in AS XXXIII:3 167: missus, n. The manager’s wife.

2. (Aus.) a publican’s wife.

1906		Sun. Times (Perth) 15 Apr. 4/8: The missus goes crook if I flirt with the boss.
1914		Sport (Adelaide) 3 Apr. 4/7: Mary D ought not to show off so much when wearing the Missus’ dress .