Driza-Bone | aaarticle.com

The Driza-Bone is the long oilskin riding coat of the Australian bush, a waterproof full-length coat cut for the saddle with a cape across the shoulders and a fantail at the back. Born of sailcloth and sea oil, it became the classic drover's raincoat of the continent.

Overview

A Driza-Bone is a long coat of waxed or oiled cotton that turns rain and wind, with a shoulder cape for extra cover, underarm gussets for movement, and a split fantail skirt that spreads over the horse’s flanks. Heavy and weatherproof, it keeps a rider dry in a downpour.

How it is worn

It is worn belted over other clothes for riding and working stock in wet weather, the fantail buttoned around the legs in the saddle and the cape shedding water off the shoulders, with an Akubra above. It creaks and smells of oil, and needs re-waxing to keep its proofing.

History

The oilskin coat grew from waterproofed sailors’ garments in the late nineteenth century, and the Driza-Bone brand fixed its bush form for drovers and stockmen. It remains an icon of rural Australia, worn on the land and at ceremonial occasions as a national symbol.