The Old Dart

[APWilliams]

Where is England referred to as 'the Old Dart?

[geofbob]

It's an Australian expression for Britain, equivalent to the "old country". "Dart" is possibly a variation of "dirt" in the sense of "soil"; though personally I wonder if "dart" might not derive from the pointed shape of Great Britain on a map (especially on a map of the world or globe, where Great Britain would appear very small).