Bunyip

The Bunyip is a large creature from Aboriginal mythology. Its favourite habitat is said to be swampy areas such as marshes and riverbeds. Although the history of this creature's mythology dates back a long time, the first proper written accounts on Bunyips were made in the early nineteenth century, when white settlement began to spread across Australia.

Meaning:

The word "bunyip" is translated as "evil spirit" by most Aboriginal Australians today. George Angus, in 1847, however, nicknamed the beast "water spirit" in his famed account of a dreadful creature that inhabited the Murray River. Other sources simply say that bunyip is most accurately translated as "devil".

Characteristics of the creature:

In George Angus's aforementioned account of the bunyip, the man described the creature as resembling a huge starfish. This portrayal is wholly different from that of the "regular bunyip", characterized by a dog-like face, dark fur, flippers, tusks or horns and perhaps a duck-bill.

External Links:

http://www.cryptozoology.com/cryptids/bunyip.php (Although the pictures are poor, the information is of high quality) Imadjafar 21:23, January 22, 2010 (UTC)