Green’s Dictionary of Slang

Billy the blackfellow n.

() .

[1858		letter in Goulburn Herald (NSW) 7 Aug. 4/1: Sir, The following extraordinary document was handed to me, a few days ago, by ‘Old Billy’ the blackfellow, who avers that it was thrown in his way by an antiquated kangaroo, white with age].
1919		Northern Terr. Times & Gaz. (Darwin) 18 Oct. 6/1: The Advisory Council had no more power than Billy the Blackfellow.
1920		Northern Terr. Times & Gaz. (Darwin) 1 July 5/1: A great many sensible people take exception to a Mayor lowering the dignity of his office by figuring in the public press with the view of damaging a candidate or even Billy the Blackfellow’s chances of scoring a win at the Council elections.
1935		Northern Herald (Cairns, Qld) 17 Aug. 21/3: The police [...] say the agent to whom this liquor was sold is James Williams, but that name could be Billy the blackfellow so far as we are concerned.
1946		Canberra Times (ACT) 5 Dec. 5/3: Is that a fair offer to make to Billy the blackfellow, or to anyone else for that matter?
1953		Sun. Mail (Brisbane) 16 Aug. 7/1: The extra pay theoretically will go to the ‘Lord Mayor,’ whoever he is, whether Mr. Roberts or Billy the Blackfellow.
1960		Biz (Fairfield, NSW) 15 June 7/4: ‘I own my own home.’ That was a proud boast of yesteryear. But today isn’t that a joke? You no more own it than Billy the Blackfellow from Central Australia.