Billy Tea - Australia's favorite strong bush cuppa, in bags or leaf.
The term Billy Tea refers to tea brewed in a billy can, that is a small can, tin or pot used on a campfire for boiling water/tea etc. So the term "billy up to the fire" basically means, "put the kettle on".
History of Tea
The legend goes something like this. Around 2700 BC, the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung, a renowned herbalist, was meditating under a tree while he was waiting for his billy to boil.
A couple of leaves from a nearby shrub blew into the water without him noticing. When he tasted the resulting brew, he was really amazed by the delightful new taste, and the beverage of tea was born.
Time for a cuppa billy tea?