Cork hat

A cork hat is a type of headgear with corks strung from the brim, to ward off insects.[1]

This article is about a hat with pieces of cork attached. For the hat made from cork, see Pith helmet.

A cork hat, Australian beer and a thong

Pieces of cork, stereotypically bottle corks, are hung on string from the brim of the hat. The low density of cork means a number of pieces may hang from a hat without significantly increasing its weight. Movement of the head causes the corks to swing, discouraging insects such as blow-flies from swarming around the wearer's head, or entering the nose or mouth of the wearer. Cork hats are a common purchase as a souvenir for tourists in Australia.

Believed by some to have been worn by jackaroos and swagmen in the blow-fly infested Australian outback,[2] the cork hat has become part of the stereotypical, almost mythical, representation of the Australian ocker, particularly in the United Kingdom. The shape and material of cork hats vary, though typically they are shaped similar to a slouch hat.

See also

References
  1. Parry, Tom (2006). Thumbs Up Australia: Hitchhiking the Outback. London: Nicholas Brealey Pub. p. 74. ISBN 1-85788-461-2.
  2. Kim Griggs, Hats Off to Blowfly Researchers, Wired News, 19 July 2000, retrieved 17 February 2007


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