Goanna Goanna A goanna is any of several Australian monitor lizards of the genus "Varanus", as well as certain species from Southeast Asia. Around 30 species of goanna are known, 25 of which are found in Australia. This varied group of carnivorous reptiles ranges greatly in size and fills several ecological niches. The goanna features prominently in Aboriginal mythology and Australian folklore. Being predatory lizards, goannas are often quite large, or at least bulky, with sharp teeth and claws. The largest is the perentie ("V. giganteus"), which can grow over in length. Not all goannas are gargantuan. Pygmy goannas may be
Dirawong Goanna Headland, located at Evans Head in New South Wales, is one of the most easterly points on mainland Australia, and the town where Queen Elizabeth II flew into during her Royal visit to Australia in 1954. The Headland is believed by Bundjalung Nation Aborigines to be the body of the mythical Dirawong. When viewed from above, the headland has a rough outline showing the shape of a goanna, within which the spirit creature is believed to exist even today. Goanna Headland has been the mythological place of origin of the Bundjalung Nation, for thousands of years. The Bundjalung Nation