larrikin

A young, brash, and impertinent, and possibly violent, troublemaker, especially one who is a gang member; a hooligan.

To keep me out of trouble I was sent to the wood-gang Cascade an out station about two miles from headquarters. On arriving at this place the following dialogue passed between me and the overseer: […] "A bit of a larrikin, T——, but it won't do here, you know." "No odds about that—what's the work?"

I wish to call your attention to the annoyance foot passengers are subject to by the ill-behaviour and disgraceful conduct exhibited by the larrikins, and also from men (who ought to know better), who infest the market reserve for the purpose of disposing of their wood, and who, until they do so, are the cause of the annoyance above referred to, which I suppose they would term amusing themselves. The rows and fights which they betimes indulge in, accompanied by some of the foulest and most blasphemous language, frequently to passers-by, and also the obstruction of the footpath, ought to attract the attention of those at whose hands the remedy lies.

A high-spirited person who playfully rebels against authority and conventional norms; a maverick or scamp.

On all occasions Captain Smith's military character was good, though he was always a bit of a larrikin, and had a way of practical joking.

When [Frank] Browne's turn came, he went down like a true larrikin, giving cheek to the end. He spoke eloquently and at length about freedom of speech.

Exhibiting the behaviour or characteristics of a larrikin (noun sense).

Hoping my letter will have the desired effect of removing the larrikin nuisance especially in such a central portion of the town, […]

A similar larrikin streak sends louts into city parks to shy stones at monuments and chip noses of statuary.

Exhibiting the behaviour or characteristics of a larrikin (noun sense).

Mungo [Wentworth] MacCallum is hardly typecast as the chronicler of the story of what has gone right and wrong about the business of immigration, regular and irregular, to this country but this most larrikin and cold-eyed of one-time Canberra chroniclers brings to this story all his wit and dryness and power of mind.

Another area was occupied by a group of guests with a clearly more larrikin style, and who very much belonged to the dominated fraction. […] The language used was rather different (more 'crude' in the second one), clothing style was different too (less trendy, and much cheaper clothes in the second group), as was appearance in general (heavier tattoos in the second group, more people with bad teeth, more of the men with the working-class goatee) and the interaction was generally more boisterous.