A seasonal gale coinciding with the annual arrival of flocks of mutton-birds to nest on the Tasmanian coast and islands of the Bass Strait; (hence also) a flock of mutton-birds; usually in plural.
Origin
Early 20th century.
Definition of mutton-bird gale in US English:
mutton-bird gale
noun
Australian
A seasonal gale coinciding with the annual arrival of flocks of mutton-birds to nest on the Tasmanian coast and islands of the Bass Strait; (hence also) a flock of mutton-birds; usually in plural.