What does "wop wops" mean in NZ slang?

The wop wops means the middle of nowhere — remote, rural New Zealand far from towns and cell reception. Always used as "out in the wop wops".

Where does "wop wops" come from?

It's a New Zealand original from the early 20th century with a playfully uncertain origin. The doubled sound simply became the national shorthand for 'very far away'.

Is living in the wop wops an insult?

Mostly it's affectionate — rural Kiwis wear it proudly. Like all good teasing, it's safest when self-applied.

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Wop wops — Meaning in NZ Slang

Wop wops: The middle of nowhere — remote, rural, far from everything. Pronunciation: WOP-wops (always plural, always 'out in the').

What does "Wop wops" mean?

The wop wops is where you are when you're absolutely nowhere: gravel road, no reception, one hawk, sheep to the horizon. "They live out in the wop wops" tells any New Zealander everything — long driveway, water tank, forty minutes to the nearest dairy, probably glorious.

In a country where even the cities are small, the wop wops is a moving target. To an Aucklander, anywhere past the Bombay Hills qualifies. To a rural Southlander, the wop wops starts somewhere genuinely impressive. The phrase is always relative and almost always affectionate — being from the wop wops is a quiet badge of honour.

Related vocabulary: "the backblocks" (same idea, older flavour), "beyond the black stump" (borrowed from Australia), and "gone bush" (deliberately vanished into the wop wops). GPS coverage of the wop wops has improved; the wop wops does not care.

Origin

A New Zealand original from the early-to-mid 20th century, of playfully uncertain origin — possibly a riff on "whop" through backblocks slang, with a reduplicated sound that just feels far away. Whatever its birth, "out in the wop wops" became the definitive Kiwi way to say deeply, hopelessly rural.

Examples

"The bach is way out in the wop wops — last hour's all gravel."
"No reception sorry, I was in the wop wops all weekend."
"She grew up in the wop wops, can fix anything with number 8 wire."
"The wedding venue's a bit wop wops, so carpool, eh."

FAQs

What does "wop wops" mean in NZ slang?: The wop wops means the middle of nowhere — remote, rural New Zealand far from towns and cell reception. Always used as "out in the wop wops".
Where does "wop wops" come from?: It's a New Zealand original from the early 20th century with a playfully uncertain origin. The doubled sound simply became the national shorthand for 'very far away'.
Is living in the wop wops an insult?: Mostly it's affectionate — rural Kiwis wear it proudly. Like all good teasing, it's safest when self-applied.

Related NZ slang: Tramping | Bach | Rattle ya dags | Good as gold

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