traced to the Wemba-Wemba or Wergaia language of Aboriginal people of South-Eastern Australia.
However, the Bunyip appears to have formed part of traditional Aboriginal beliefs and stories throughout Australia, although its name varied according to tribal nomenclature. In his 2001 book, writer Robert Holden identified at least nine regional variations for the creature known as the bunyip, across Aboriginal Australia. Various written accounts of bunyips were made by Europeans in the early and mid-19th century, as settlement spread across Australia.
One witness reported seeing the Bunyip as similar to an Elephant, even down to the trunk. One report states the Bunyip as being similar to a giraffe, with its long necks and tail. Others claim to have spotted the Bunyip as having claws and horns.
In the coastal town of Geelong, Victoria there was a report in July of 1845 of the finding of unfossilised bone on the banks of a small river. Apparently the bone formed part of the knee joint of an enormous animal. It was reported that a local Aboriginal person was shown the paper where he identified it straight away as a Bunyip bone.
He then proceeded to draw a picture of the Bunyip, which is reproduced here.
Another resident of Geelong claimed that his mother had been killed by a Bunyip at Barwon Lakes, just a few miles from Geelong. There are also reports of another local Geelong woman being killed at the Barwon River where the barge crossed to South Geelong.
Yet another local man was said to have shown several deep wounds on his breast which were made by the claws of a Bunyip he came across at the Barwon River.
Bunyip Claw wound
