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brown bomber1


a parking inspector. Compare grey bomber, grey ghost, blue bomber, sticker licker. [from the brown colour of their uniform (now grey or blue)]

Contributor's comments: Now that the brown bombers have had a uniform change, it is my understanding that they had been re-named as grey ghosts.

Contributor's comments: "Grey ghost" used on Perth, after colour of uniform.

Contributor's comments: I have also heard brown bomber used to describe parking inspectors in Adelaide. A few years ago they changed their uniforms to blue and put 'information' on their hats to try to change their image but all it seemed to do was create the 'blue bomber'.

Contributor's comments: Sydney suburbs until 1999 "Brown bomber" used but has declined since changing to grey uniform.

Contributor's comments: [Adelaide informant] I had always heard of brown bombers when I lived in Sydney, was interested to read of blue bombers in this website, when I moved here in '85 people were calling them sticker lickers.

Contributor's comments: During the 1970-80s in Sydney Brown Bombers were parking policemen, in early 1990s they changed their uniforms, and are known now as Grey Ghosts.

brown bomber2


Cicadas which weren't of the bright green variety but rather dull grey brown. I now wonder whether they really were cicadas or not some other insect. I thought the term may just have been used in the northern suburbs of Sydney but I have since discovered that my husband from the southern suburbs called them 'brown bombers' as well. He also had the term 'black prince' for small dark cicadas. Of course, we also had 'green grocer' cicadas but I think this is pretty commonly used: I found a brown bomber on the back wall. Compare black prince, brown baker, greengrocer2, pisswhacker, tick tock, yellow Monday.

Brown Bombers


Used to describe the Ariah Park-Mirrool AFL Club. Some years ago the club moved from the Riverina FL, where they were known as the Bombers, to the Farrar FL. The Marrar FC is also in the Farrar FL and are also known as the Bombers, wearing the traditional Essendon colours. When APM joined the Farrar FL, they were called the Brown Bombers because their club colours are Green & Brown: When discussing football matches.