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Bunyip
Aboriginal people warned early settlers: stay away from the billabongs at night. Something lurks in Australian waters—something that bellows, something that drags people under. The Bunyip still waits.
Ancient - Present
Australia
500+ witnesses
The Bunyip is a large mythical creature from Australian Aboriginal mythology, said to lurk in swamps, billabongs, creeks, and waterholes.
The Legend
According to documented folklore:
The Bunyip is:
- A water-dwelling creature
- Dangerous to humans
- Found throughout Australia
- Known to Aboriginal peoples for millennia
- Making a distinctive bellowing cry
Description
Various accounts mention:
- A large, dark body
- A horse-like face or dog-like head
- Flippers or large paws
- A booming, bellowing call
- Tusks or horns in some versions
Colonial Sightings
European settlers reported:
- 1818: First published account from Lake Bathurst
- 1821: E.S. Hall described it in Sydney Gazette
- 1840s: Numerous sightings and reports
Possible Explanations
Theories include:
- Surviving megafauna (Diprotodon)
- Seals moving inland
- Cultural memory of extinct animals
- Mistaken identity of known animals