The word "bogan" is believed to have originated in the late 1980’s in Melbourne.  The term has always had close ties to the working class, and the original intent and purpose of the word remains up until this day.  It is believed by some (but not actually verified) that the word may have ties to the Bogan River district of Western NSW.  For more information on the Bogan Shire, please visit the local council website at http://bogan.local-e.nsw.gov.au.

Whilst the actual word “bogan” has only been in mainstream circulation for around 20 years, historic evidence points to the existence of bogans for many centuries past.  It is widely believed that the majority of the members in the first fleet to land in Australia were actually bogan prisoners from the United Kingdom.  Therefore, it appears that Australia was actually established by criminally insane bogans who enjoyed drinking, fighting and shooting. 

The evolution of the bogan to that of what we know in the present day is largely believed to have commenced in the late 1970’s.  The children of ‘generation x’ form much of the current populous, whilst their offspring continue in the same mould as post-modernistic bogans.  The adoption of key elements such as the ‘mullet’, the flannelette shirt and the ‘trackie-daks’ are also indicators that the contemporary bogan gains inspiration from fashions of the 1980’s in the era of the ‘bogan renaissance’. 

No doubt the bogan will continue to flourish wherever AC/DC is played, or where a VK Commodore is doing a burnout.