The legendary water monster that appears in many Aboriginal stories is the bunyip.
The bunyip is traditionally associated with waterways in southeastern Australia, including swamps, billabongs, creeks, rivers and waterholes. Stories describe it as a dangerous or mysterious spirit that may punish people who approach the water carelessly. Its appearance varies greatly between Aboriginal cultural traditions: some accounts describe a furry, seal-like creature, while others portray a long-necked or reptilian animal.
The name is especially associated with languages of Victoria, including Wemba-Wemba and Wergaia. The English word entered written Australian usage in the early 19th century, with an 1812 newspaper account using an early form, “bahnyip.” European writers later treated the bunyip as a single national monster, although Aboriginal traditions are diverse and use different names and stories.
The bunyip is not the same as a drop bear, which is a modern Australian joke, or the Rainbow Serpent, a major ancestral figure in many Aboriginal traditions. In some stories, such as the Ngarrindjeri Mulyawonk tradition, the water-being also teaches respect for waterways and discourages overfishing or dangerous behaviour.