Bunyip
Bunyip (1935) Artist Unknown, from the National Library of Australia digital collections.
Creature
Name:	Bunyip
Classification
Grouping:	Cryptid
Sub grouping:	Lake monster
Data
First reported:	Early 1800s
Country:	Australia
Region:	Throughout Australia
Habitat:	Water
Status:	Unsubstantiated

The bunyip (usually translated as "devil" or "spirit"^[1]) is a mythical creature from Australian folklore. Various accounts and explanations of bunyips have been given across Australia since the early days of the colonies. It has also been identified as an animal recorded in Aboriginal mythology, similar to known extinct animals. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... National Library of Australia National Library of Australia as viewed from Lake Burley Griffin The National Library of Australia is located in Canberra, Australia. ... Cryptids are creatures presumed extinct, hypothetical species, or creatures known from anecdotal evidence and/or other evidence insufficient to prove their existence with scientific certainty. ... Lake monster, loch monster, or leviathan is the name given to large unknown animals which have purportedly been sighted in, and/or are believed to dwell in lakes or lochs, although their existence has never been confirmed scientifically. ... The word mythology (from the Greek μυολογία mythología, from mythologein to relate myths, from mythos, meaning a narrative, and logos, meaning speech or argument) literally means the (oral) retelling of myths – stories that a particular culture believes to be true and that use the supernatural to interpret natural events and... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Aborigines of Australia have a polytheistic, animistic religion. ...

Characteristics

Descriptions of bunyips vary wildly. It is usually given as a sort of lake monster. Common features in Aboriginal drawings include a horse-like tail, flippers, and walrus-like tusks or horns. According to legend they are said to lurk in swamps, billabongs, creeks, riverbeds and waterholes. At night their blood-curdling cries can be heard as they devour any animal that ventures near their abodes. Lake monster, loch monster, or leviathan is the name given to large unknown animals which have purportedly been sighted in, and/or are believed to dwell in lakes or lochs, although their existence has never been confirmed scientifically. ... Languages Several hundred indigenous Australian languages (many extinct or nearly so), Australian English, Australian Aboriginal English, Torres Strait Creole, Kriol Religions Primarily Christian, with minorities of other religions including various forms of Traditional belief systems based around the Dreamtime Related ethnic groups see List of Indigenous Australian group names Indigenous... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus, sometimes seen as a subspecies of the Wild Horse, Equus ferus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... A scorpion tail The tail is the section at the rear end of an animals body; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. ... Look up flipper in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Distribution of Walrus Subspecies Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) are large semi-aquatic mammals that live in the cold Arctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The primary meaning of stream is a body of water, confined within a bed and banks and having a detectable current. ... For other uses, see River (disambiguation). ... A waterhole, in its simplest definition, is a hole filled with water. ...

Early accounts

During the early settlement of Australia, the notion that the bunyip was an actual unknown animal that awaited discovery became common. Early European settlers, unfamiliar with the sights and sounds of the island continent's peculiar fauna, regarded the bunyip as one more strange Australian animal and sometimes attributed unfamiliar animal calls or cries to it. At one point, the discovery of a strange skull in an isolated area associated with these 'bunyip calls' seemed to provide physical evidence of the bunyip's existence.

In 1846 a peculiar skull was taken from the banks of Murrumbidgee River in New South Wales. In the first flush of excitement, several experts concluded that it was the skull of something unknown to science. In 1847 the so-called bunyip skull was put on exhibition in the Australian Museum (Sydney) for two days. Visitors flocked to see it and the Sydney Morning Herald said that it prompted many people to speak out about their 'bunyip sightings' "Almost everyone became immediately aware that he had heard 'strange sounds' from the lagoons at night, or had seen 'something black' in the water." It was eventually concluded that it was a 'freak of nature' and not a new species. The 'bunyip skull' disappeared from the museum soon afterwards, and its present location is unknown.^[2] The Murrumbidgee River is a major river in the state of New South Wales, Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory. ... The Australian Museum is the oldest museum in Australia, centering on natural history and anthropology, with collections centering on vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, as well as minerology, palaeontology, and anthropology. ... ...

As European exploration of Australia proceeded, the bunyip increasingly began to be regarded as nonexistent. The mysterious skull was later identified as that of a disfigured horse or calf. The idiom 'why search for the bunyip?' emerged from repeated attempts by Australian adventurers to capture or sight the bunyip, the phrase indicating that a proposed course of action is fruitless or impossible.

The Greta Bunyip was a bunyip which was believed to have lived in the swamps of the Greta area, in Victoria, Australia. Locals often heard a loud booming sound which emitted mysteriously from the swamps, yet none of the frequent search parties were able to locate the source of the sound. Once the swamps were drained, the sound subsided. Some Greta locals believed that the bunyip moved on to another area, whilst others believed it had died once its habitat was gone.^[3] Greta is a district in Victoria, Australia, located east of Benalla, in the Rural City of Wangaratta. ... Motto: Peace and Prosperity Other Australian states and territories Capital Melbourne Governor HE Mr John Landy Premier Steve Bracks (ALP) Area 237,629 km² (6th)  - Land 227,416 km²  - Water 10,213 km² (4. ...

Explanations

Diprotodon australis

Although no documented physical evidence of bunyips has been found, it has been suggested by cryptozoologists that tales of bunyips could be Aboriginal memories of the Diprotodon, or other extinct Australian megafauna which became extinct some 50,000 years ago.^[4] Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 1. ... Cryptozoology (from Greek: κρυπτός, kryptós, hidden; ζῷον, zôon, animal; and λόγος, logos, knowledge or study – zoology) is the search for animals hypothesized to exist, but for which conclusive proof is missing. ... Species Diprotodon opatum Diprotodon minor Diprotodon loderi Diprotodon annextans Cast of a Diprotodon skeleton at Queensland Museum. ... Australian megafauna is a term used to describe a number of comparatively large animal species in Australia. ...

The cries of the possum or koala could likely be mistaken for the bunyip, as most people are surprised to find koalas or possums are capable of such loud roars. The Barking Owl, a nocturnal bird that lives around swamps and billabongs in the Bush is sometimes credited for making the sounds of the bunyip. The bird is known to make a call that can easily be mistaken for the cries of a woman or child. Other species of birds, such as bitterns and bush-stone curlews emit blood curdling sounds that were sometimes attributed to bunyips. For other uses, see Possum (disambiguation). ... For the drawing program, see KoalaPad/Painter. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Australian bush The bush is a term used for rural, undeveloped land or country areas in many places, such as Australia, New Zealand, Sub-Saharan Africa, Canada, and Alaska. ... † see also: Heron The bitterns are members of the heron family Ardeidae. ...

The most likely explanation for the existence of Bunyips relates to their locations on the Murray-Darling river system. Australian Fur Seals are known to swim up the river system during times of flood, subsequently becoming trapped within the river system once the flooding subsides. There have been dozens of Fur Seals killed or captured as far north as Canberra,^{[citation needed]} incidentally, in close proximity to areas where a Bunyip has been heard or sighted. Semi-arid grazing country near Burra Creek, South Australia The Murray-Darling Basin drains one-seventh of the Australian land mass and is currently by far the most significant agricultural area in Australia. ... Binomial name Arcetocephalus pusillus Schreber, 1775 The Cape Fur Seal (also known as the South African Fur Seal) and the Australian Fur Seal are two subspecies of the Arctocephalus pusillus species of fur seal. ...

The coincidence of the features and sounds made of both animals, would necessarily lead to an inland dwelling Aborigine or European to come to the conclusion that the creature was in fact a new species. Meanwhile, those having travelled more widely, would immediately recognise the same creature as a fur seal. It must be remembered, however, that the bunyip myth is apparently of very ancient origin (tens of thousands of years). Thus, modern bunyip tales may be folk memory that was originally based on large diprotodonts, but had changed into the malevolent mythical beast after these animals had become extinct, and eventually adopted physical elements from fur seals which matched the supposed ecological characteristics of the bunyip better than other living animals. Folk memory is a term often used to describe stories, folklore or myths about past events that are passed orally from generation to generation. ...

Also worth noting, the Procoptodon, a pre-historic Kangaroo-like animal, had a rounded face and could lift its arms above head height. Sighting such an animal - especially at dusk or twilight - could easily be mistaken for a bi-pedal humanoid beast. Species Procoptodon was a genus of giant short-faced kangaroo living in Australia during the Pleistocene epoch. ...

Cultural reference to Bunyip

See also: Bunyip aristocracy, Kurdaitcha, Yowie (cryptid), Drop Bear, Bunyip River, and Bunyip, Victoria

Bunyip in 1890
Illustrated Australian news

• The Bunyip River flows into Westernport Bay in southern Victoria and the town of Bunyip, Victoria is named for the legendary creature.
• Bunyip railway station on the Bairnsdale railway line, Victoria also carries the name.
• The Bunyip is the banner of a local weekly newspaper published in the town of Gawler, South Australia. First published as a pamphlet by the Gawler Humbug Society in 1863, the name was chosen because, "the Bunyip is the true type of Australian Humbug!". ^[5]
• There is a coin operated Bunyip in Murray Bridge, South Australia at Sturt Reserve on the town's river front. ^[6]
• The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek ^[7] is a popular Australian children's picture book about a bunyip seeking to learn who he is by asking everyone he meets "What do bunyips look like?".
• The title inspired the House of the Gentle Bunyip, ^[8] was a community house established in the 1970s and preserved in 1997 after the longest community picket in Australian history.^{[citation needed]}
• A tale of a bunyip is included in Andrew Lang's The Brown Fairy Book (1904).
• Barry Humphries once played a bunyip, in about 1955 in Melbourne, in a children's play called The Bunyip and the Satellite, produced by Peter O'Shaughnessy. Having little to go on, he created the character as a prancing, bird-like clown. Humphries recreated the character shortly afterwards on live television for Melbourne's Channel Seven, telling fanciful stories to a juvenile audience.
• During the 1950s and 1960s, "Bertie the Bunyip" was a children's show in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, created by Lee Dexter, an Australian. [1]
• "Dot and the Kangaroo", an animated musical feature from Australia (1977) showed an aboriginal painting representation of the feared bunyip during the song about the bunyip, the sequel "Dot and the Smugglers" (1987) has Dot rescue not only the native animals, but also a bunyip.
• During the 1980s, Australian children's television and literature featured a more friendly version of the bunyip - "Alexander Bunyip" created by Michael Salmon.
• Another depiction of a bunyip in the 1989 illustrated children's book A Kangaroo Court ^[9].
• In the 1986 Australian film Frog Dreaming, a Bunyip known as 'Donkegin' is said to haunt a pond within a national park called Devil's Knob. However at the end of the film, despite supernatural happenings, Donkegin is discovered to have a much more earthly origin.
• Bunyips in the Australian Classroom - The Bunyip Collaborative Web project is a learning sequence.
• A popular New Zealand reggae band was named 'Bunyip' with a career that spanned from 1998 to 2003. During this time they released the hit singles and toured NZ extensively.

Charmed Bunyip Book of Shadows pages

• The American TV series, Charmed, the Bunyip is one of many demonic creatures and is depicted in the Book of Shadows.
• The Bunyips are monsters named in the Doctor Who audio drama, "Dreamtime." The story also features references to other Indigenous Australian mythology, such as Uluru.

Depictions of bunyips outside of Australia are often unrelated to the various earlier depictions and fictional accounts. The name is given to monsters in video games such as Ty The Tasmanian Tiger, in the PlayStation and Playstation 2 games Chrono Cross, Final Fantasy X and Culdcept. In a version of The Sims 2 and other game references, Animal Crossing, and the Nintendo DS follow-up Animal Crossing: Wild World, and in animated series Mona the Vampire, it is depicted as a large rabbit. The term Bunyip aristocracy was first coined in 1853 by Daniel Deniehy who made a speech lambasting the attempt by William Wentworth to establish a titled aristocracy in New South Wales government. ... Kurdaitcha (or kurdaitcha man) is a ritual executioner in Aboriginal Australian culture. ... Yowie can refer to either of two mythical creatures of Australian folklore: The name has been applied to an Australian cryptid analogous to the American bigfoot. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Bunyip River is a River in southern Victoria, Australia. ... Bunyip ( ) is a town in west Gippsland, Victoria, Australia named after a creature found in Australian Aboriginal mythology. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 424 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 849 pixel, file size: 57 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Bunyip ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 424 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 849 pixel, file size: 57 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Bunyip ... The Bunyip River is a River in southern Victoria, Australia. ... “VIC” redirects here. ... Bunyip ( ) is a town in west Gippsland, Victoria, Australia named after a creature found in Australian Aboriginal mythology. ... Categories: Regional railway stations in Victoria | Australia-related stubs ... The Bairnsdale railway line is a regional railway in Victoria, Australia. ... Gawler is a town in the state of South Australia. ... Capital Adelaide Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Marjorie Jackson-Nelson Premier Mike Rann (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 11  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $59,819 (5th)  - Product per capita  $38,838/person (7th) Population (End of September 2006)  - Population  1,558,200 (5th)  - Density  1. ... Murray Bridge is a city in South Australia about 80km southeast of Adelaide. ... For the former National Basketball Association player, see Andrew Lang (basketball). ... Rumpelstiltskin from The Blue Fairy Book, by Henry J. Ford Andrew Langs Fairy Books or Andrew Langs Coloured Fairy Books are a twelve-book series of fairy tale collections. ... John Barry Humphries, AO, CBE (born 17 February 1934 in Camberwell, Melbourne, Victoria) is an Australian comedian, satirist and character actor best known for his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage, a Melbourne housewife, and Sir Les Patterson, Australias foul-mouthed cultural attaché to Britain. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Quaker City Motto: Philadelphia maneto (Let brotherly love continue) Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Mayor John F. Street (D) Area    - City 369. ... Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ... Dot and the Kangaroo, written in 1899, is a childrens book by Ethel C. Pedley about a little girl named Dot who gets lost in the Australian outback and is eventually befriended by a kangaroo and several other marsupials. ... Frog Dreaming is a 1986 Australian film starring Henry Thomas. ... Reggae is a music genre developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For other uses, see charm. ... Charmed. ... Charmed. ... Dreamtime cover by Lee Binding. ... , also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia. ... Ty the Tasmanian Tiger is the first title in a video game series for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube produced by Krome Studios in 2002. ... The Sony PlayStation ) is a video game console of the 32/64-bit era, first produced by Sony Computer Entertainment in the mid-1990s. ... “PS2” redirects here. ... Chrono Cross ) is a console role-playing game created by Square Co. ... Final Fantasy X ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix), and the tenth installment in the Final Fantasy video game series; it was released in 2001, and is the first numbered Final Fantasy game for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console. ... Culdcept is a videogame that shares features with Monopoly and Magic: The Gathering. ... This article is about the computer game. ... For other uses, see Animal Crossing (disambiguation). ... “NDS” redirects here. ... Mona the Vampire is an animated childrens television based on the series Mona le Vampire, directed by Louise Piche and Jean Caillon, originally based on the short stories by Sonia Halleyman and Hiawyn Oram. ...

The pen-and-paper RPG Werewolf: The Apocalypse defines them as a type of werewolf present in Australia. This article is about games in which one plays the role of a character. ... For other uses, see Werewolf (disambiguation). ...

• In the Australian children's show, Hi-5, Kellie Hoggart took a journey to 'Bunyip Island'. Jennifer Peterson-Hind also visited 'Bunyip Island' on the American version of the show.
• In the popular American animated cartoon series Southpark God is portrayed as a bunyip.
• The bunyip is also portrayed in the book Interlopers by Alan Dean Foster as an inimical spirit.
• Bunyip Information Systems was a Montreal company whose Archie search engine for files on FTP sites is generally regarded as the Internet's first search engine.

Hi-5 may refer to: an Australian/American childrens television program a Greek girl band. ... Kellie Hoggart is a Australian singer/actress/childrens performer. ... Jennifer Peterson-Hind Jennifer Jenn Kristen Peterson-Hind (born May 24, 1980, in Madison, Wisconsin) is a cast member on the television show Hi-5. ... This article is about the animated television series. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... Interlopers is an online community based on level design for the popular game Half-Life 2. ... Alan Dean Foster (born November 18, 1946) is a prolific American writer of science fiction and fantasy novels and movie novelizations. ... Archie was the first search engine ever invented, designed to index FTP archives, allowing people to find specific files. ...

External links

• The Bunyip: Mythical Beast, Modern-day Monster
• Bunyips ... enter the lair of the bunyip if you dare - interactive for kids / National Library of Australia
• Bunyip (Encyclopedia Mythica)
• Bunyips in Cryptozoology

References