Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus.) unpleasant, ill-tempered.

1891		Independent (Footscray, Vic.) 23 May 3/3: The court case does not enter into full details [...] of the contending parties, but from the unmatronly, unworthy, unwifely prayer of the aggressor and the plaint of her present lord and master, it may be fairly assumed that she is either frisky and frolicsome, young and canty or inane and imbecile.
1941		Baker Popular Dict. Aus. Sl.
1955		N. Pulliam I Travelled a Lonely Land (1957) 231/2: canty – cantankerous.