Definition of "wowser"

“I’d like to come with you one day up to the top end,” she said. “I suppose it’ll have to be after we’re married.”He grinned. “Plenty of wowsers back in Willstown to talk about it, if you came before.”

1950, Neville Shute, chapter 9, in A Town Like Alice‎, London: The Reprint Society, published 1952, page 259

As for the rest, the pay is not bad, coming as it does from the pockets of the three local warlords who hired me: two graziers, one of whom is also a terrible wowser (everyone calls him 'Mr Prophet', though I call him - privately, of course - Mr Brimstone, or Old Blood-and-Thunderguts); the third is the owner of the pub.

1996, Janette Turner Hospital, Oyster, paperback edition, Virago Press, page 65

When they have paid attention to temperance advocates they have tended to dismiss them as ‘wowsers’ or ‘puritans’ intent on suppressing pleasure.

1999, Anna E. Blainey, “The prohibition and total abstinence movement in Australia, 1880 - 1910”, in Robert Dare, editor, Food, Power and Community, page 142

Quite simply, to a wowser, adults should not be allowed to see, hear and read as they wished, but should only be allowed to see hear and read that which fully conforms to Australia's Christian heritage […] .

2010, Robert Cettl, Offensive to a Reasonable Adult: Film Censorship and Classification in 'Secular' Australia, page 43

He's a bit of a prig. A wowser. Very Methodist.

2012, Deborah Burrows, A Stranger in my Street

In size the wowser varies, for no matter where he's at, He takes up all the room there is— just like a cowboy's hat.

1968 -, Squire Omar Barker, Rawhide Rhymes: Singing Poems of the Old West, page 10

Its title was “The Time Raider," and this story, which has never been reprinted, was a wowser.

2003, Glen Cadigan, The Legion Companion

Seriously, I mean it: From Russia, With Love is a real wowser, a lulu, a dilly and a smasheroo.

2013, Andrew Lycett, Ian Fleming, page 301

In Gadget's eyes she looked positively beautiful in her gorgeous satiny-red cocktail dress. "Wowser!" he exclaimed, much to the confusion of the guests, who conferred with each other.

1999, Inspector Gadget, page 48

WOWSER - Absolutely beautiful rendering - a mastrpiece work

2010, David J. Vanderpool, Pencil Drawings: A look into drawing Portraits

Wowser. I was glad I was only a kid and didn't need to worry about that kind of stuff.

2013, Gregory E. Burchett, Missing The Links, page 241