Billy tea is the cup of the Australian bush. Water boiled in a tin over an open fire, a handful of leaves thrown in, and a few minutes of patience while it settles. It is the tea of drovers and swagmen, and it still tastes best with a little smoke in the air.
Here in Margaret River we live between the forest and the sea, so we never run short of reasons to put the billy on. This is our guide to where billy tea came from, and how to make a good one, at camp or at home.
What is billy tea?
A billy is a lightweight metal pot with a wire handle, made for boiling water over a fire. Billy tea is simply tea brewed in one. The water comes to the boil over the flames, the pot comes off, the leaves go in, and the tea brews right there in the can.
The billy became part of bush life through the 1800s. By the end of that century, the National Museum of Australia says, it was as much a symbol of the bush as the gum tree, the kangaroo and the wattle. It was cheap, it was light, and it did every job going, from the morning cuppa to the evening stew.
Where does the word billy come from?
Nobody knows for certain. The most widely held view is that it comes from the bouilli can, the tins that carried preserved boiled beef and soup in the 1800s. An empty tin was far too useful to throw away. Give it a wire handle and you had a pot that would go anywhere.
Another idea links the word to billa, an Aboriginal word for water. It is a lovely thought, though it remains a suggestion rather than a settled answer.
The tea of the track
Gold diggers, shepherds, drovers and swagmen all carried a billy. For anyone living on the move, it was the one piece of kit that never got left behind.
Boiling the billy meant stopping. Stopping meant a fire, a cup and a yarn, and plenty of bush stories were first told while the water came to the boil. Banjo Paterson wrote Waltzing Matilda in 1895, and his swagman has a billy on the fire when the trouble starts.
How to make billy tea over a fire
Before you light anything, check the fire danger rating and any total fire ban for the day on Emergency WA, and check the rules where you are camped. Many parks only allow fires in the rings provided, and some ban them altogether through the warmer months. A camp stove does the job just as well.
You will need:
- A billy, or any small pot with a handle
- Water, enough to fill the billy about three quarters
- Loose leaf tea, a teaspoon per cup, and one for the billy if you like it strong
- A stick through the handle, or a good pair of gloves
- Enamel mugs
Then:
- Hang the billy over the fire, or sit it on a bed of coals, and bring it to a rolling boil.
- Lift it off the heat with the stick.
- Add the tea and let it brew for three to four minutes.
- Settle the leaves. Give the side of the billy a few firm taps with the stick, or just let it sit for a minute. The leaves sink and the tea clears.
- Pour slowly into mugs, leaving the leaves in the bottom. Add milk and sugar if that is how you like it.
To swing or not to swing
The old way to settle the leaves is to swing the billy over your head in a full circle, three times, fast and without a moment's hesitation. It works. It also looks wonderful, right up until someone ends up wearing the tea.
We would rather you tap and wait. The leaves sink just the same, the tea is just as good, and nobody gets scalded.
How to make billy tea at home
No campfire? You can get very close in your own kitchen.
- In a teapot. A teaspoon per cup, freshly boiled water, three to four minutes, then pour through a strainer.
- On the stove. Bring water to the boil in a small saucepan, take it off the heat, add the leaves, wait three to four minutes, then strain into mugs. It is the closest thing to a billy without leaving the house.
Enjoy it on its own or with a dash of milk.
Our Australian Billy Tea
We blend our Australian Billy Tea for exactly this cup. It starts with Australian grown black tea. Native peppermint gum and lemon scented gum bring a fresh, bushy lift, and a hint of smoky lapsang souchong makes it taste like it came off a campfire, even when it came off the stove.
In the old days, a couple of gum leaves often went into the billy for flavour. With this blend there is no need to go looking for one. It is already in there.
It is strong, a little smoky and full of character. A cup for anyone who feels a connection to this country and its traditions. It is hand blended in small batches, here in Margaret River.
Where to drink it
Anywhere with a view. A thermos on a walk through the karri at Boranup. A mug on the tailgate after a surf. A slow pot on the back step while the kookaburras have the last word.
If you are passing through Cowaramup, come into the shop at 68 Bussell Highway. You will find it on the shelves, and you can ask Cathy anything you like about it.
Frequently asked questions
What is billy tea made of?
Traditionally, whatever black tea was on hand, sometimes with a gum leaf dropped in for flavour. Our Australian Billy Tea is Australian grown black tea with native peppermint gum, lemon scented gum and a hint of lapsang souchong.
What does billy tea taste like?
Strong and robust, with a gentle smokiness and a fresh eucalyptus lift. Around a real fire the smoke comes from the flames. In our blend it comes from the lapsang souchong.
Why do people swing the billy?
Swinging it in a full circle pushes the leaves to the bottom so the tea pours clear. Tapping the side or letting it rest for a minute does the same job with far less risk.
Can you make billy tea without a fire?
Yes. A saucepan on the stove or a teapot at home both work well. You lose the smoke of the fire, which is why we put a little smoke in the blend.
Does billy tea have caffeine?
Yes. It is a black tea, so it contains caffeine.
Put the billy on.