Goon of Fortune - no Australian Backpacking Adventure is complete without it!
What is Goon of Fortune?
Goon of Fortune is an ancient Australian Custom - a game that has forever been practiced in thousands (if not hundreds of billions) of Australian back yards. It has brought people together. It has been used in celebration. It is an essential Australian experience!
We asked one of our legendary staff member's Brendan his thoughts on the game. As an English Working Holiday Maker in Australia, Brendan has been lucky enough to give it a whirl. Here's what he had to say...
"Some of you may have played Goon of Fortune but I only found out about this in my last week in Australia. It’s probably a good thing I came across it in my last week as my experiences could have been a little different.
For those of you that don’t know what Goon of Fortune is, it’s a drinking game loosely based on the ‘Wheel of Fortune’ game show. Here’s a guide of how you play: ‘HAVE FUN” but remember folks – drink responsibly and know your limits."
What you need to play Goon of Fortune
- Several bladders of Goon
- A hills-hoist (rotating adjustable clothes line)
- Friends that are willing to have a few drinks (again we don’t condone extreme drunkenness).
Instructions:
Peg a Goon bladder (a receptacle full of drink) to each corner of the clothes line.
Stand everyone in a circle around the clothes line. Spin the line. Wherever the bladder lands, the adjacent person must tip their head back and take a drink. Repeat this until the last person is left standing; they are the winner! You are disqualified if you leave or refuse to take a drink. It’s not for the fainthearted folks so if you don’t like drinking... maybe find a gentler game (chess perhaps).
Note:
Additional rules may be included by silly people to make the game more interesting - as long as there is a consensus between the participants. This is often easier said than done. For example, when the circle is down to three, each person must stand on only one leg. Or after the twentieth spin, the person that the bladder lands on must be “dacked” (Aussie slang for getting your pants pulled down)
ENJOY! Want to classy up your Goon drinking habits? Check out these 8 delicious Goon Cocktail Recipes.
Main image By KVDP (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
