[cheebacheeba]

Crikey = Colloquialism - An expression of confusion, surprise, or exasperation.
Kind of a little like "fuck", a little like "jesus!"
Not seen as offensive. Not commonly used, but not all THAT uncommon. Country people use it more. Queenslanders also use it more.
Expect it to come out of the same kind of aussie that comes out with "mate", "gday".
It's a pretty rural-area term, so there you have it, used among farmers, old-ish people, and I guess crazy guys that catch deadly animals...
It's being phased out.

A similar colloquialism used here that you may or may not have heard of is "struth" pronounced "strooth", and it's more or less exactly the same as above. Used as commonly, by the same "categorie" of people.
Also largely phased out.

"rare to see adults with that kind of enthusiasm about animals"
- I think that's because he's slightly retarded...but hey...



;)