Hills Hoist

/ hɪlz /

noun

1. an Australian brand of rotary clothesline

Word History and Origins

Origin of Hills Hoist¹

C20: named after its inventor, Lance Hills (1902-1986)

Example Sentences

The Hills Hoist clothes line was the quintessential image of suburban life in 20th Century Australia.

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Many people have similar fond memories, leading to fears the Hills Hoist, the great symbol of Australian suburban life, has come to the end of the line.

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Hill wasn't the first person to build a rotary clothes line - another Australian Gilbert Toyne patented a rotary design as far back as 1926 - but his entrepreneurship and good timing saw the Hills Hoist become a beloved symbol of home ownership in Australia.

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In the post-war boom, many aspired to own a house on a quarter-acre block, with all the trimmings - like the Hills Hoist - which could easily fit in the large backyard.

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I remember the Hills Hoist in my Queensland yard when I was a child: the rusted creak as it went with the wind, the grease in its grooves, even the cobwebs around the crank that raised it higher.

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