Though its origins can be traced back to the British Navy, the “smoko” is well and truly a quintessential Australian tradition.

As the name would suggest, “smoko” started off as a cigarette break taken during military duty, while in Australia, the tradition of “smoko” is thought to have started amongst sheep shearers in the 1860s.

The tradition spread across most blue-collar jobs, and now over 150 years’ later, in factories, on construction sites, farms, mine sites and everywhere in between, it is still considered a necessary and well-earned break between breakfast and lunch. It’s just as popular across the ditch where the “smoko” tradition is alive and well throughout the building and manufacturing communities of New Zealand.

Despite it being ingrained in Australian working culture, the practice hasn’t been without its detractors. Bans on government employees taking breaks at work to smoke cigarettes in 2006 prompted then Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott to declare that the “smoko has had its day”, referencing the damage to health caused by the habit. But the “smoko” lived on, changing with the times.

While there are still those among us who like to duck out for a cheeky ciggie, less and less people are smoking, meaning the “smoko” has evolved, and today is associated more with the ‘tools down and tucker up’ motto, where the Winnie Blues have been replaced by a meat pie and chocolate Moove, or a coffee and cake.

Regardless of whether it's a cigarette or a sandwich, the “smoko” remains a vital part of the working day. Those ten minutes are an opportunity for workers to sit down, refuel and have a chat with work mates, before getting up and getting on with the job. And while the way we work and our work environments continue to change, the “smoko” is still an Aussie institution.