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30-672: Himberrong is a clan of the Anēwan (also 'Nganyaywana') Aboriginal tribe of what is now known as the New England Tablelands region in northeast New South Wales . Part of their traditional land, once an Aboriginal reserve called Inglebah , is now a heritage Aboriginal Place . The territory of the Himberrong clan stretches from the Moonbi Range in the west (adjoining Gamilaraay ), past Yarrowitch and Kunderang in

60-610: A common medicine among Caucasians shortly after British settlement in Australia. Said to be a cure-all, and possessing amazing powers of penetration (passing through metal as if it were not there), it was sold among early settlers like snake oil in the Old West of North America. A goanna features as the heroic figure Mr Lizard in the Australian author May Gibbs ’ children's books Snugglepot and Cuddlepie . A bronze statue of

90-405: A crocodile's tail; small children and dogs have been knocked down by such attacks. Often victims in goanna attacks are bystanders, watching the person antagonising the goanna. Alarmed goannas can mistake standing humans for trees and attempt to climb them to safety, which is painful and can be distressing for both human and goanna. Goannas are protected species throughout Australia. Goannas have

120-574: A goanna will direct an intentional attack at a human unless the human has attempted to attack it (or grasp at it) first. Indigenous Australians who hunt goannas for food consider the perentie to be a high-risk (but tasty) quarry. Debate is growing as to whether goannas are venomous. The incessant bleeding caused by goanna bites had been thought to be the result of bacterial infection , but a 2005 study suggested monitor lizards (including goannas) are venomous and have oral toxin-producing glands. The goanna's hefty tail can be dangerous when swung, much like

150-472: A maximum of 61 cm, nose-to-tail. Other goannas are adapted to swampy coastal environments, such as the mangrove goanna ( V. semiremex ). Further still, Mertens' water monitor (water goanna – V. mertensi ), found in lagoons and rivers across northern Australia, is streamlined for swimming, using its tail as a paddle. Most other goannas are good swimmers, but tend not to voluntarily venture into water. The diets of goannas vary greatly depending on

180-418: A prominent place in the culture of indigenous Australians. This includes totemic relationships, anthropomorphic representations in dreamtime stories, and as a food source. Representations of goannas are common in indigenous artwork, not just as food, but also as a symbolic spiritual motif. Smaller goannas and the mighty perentie are often considered two different animals when appearing in aboriginal works, as in

210-425: A site on the town fringes known as "The Dump", in humpies built close to the rubbish tip, which were devoid of the basic amenities of water, sewerage and electricity, and jerry-rigged by using hessian bags, corrugated sheet iron and cardboard boxes. In 1960, four children died and 11 were hospitalised from infections picked up in conditions that were called "appalling". The government then allocated funds to clean up

240-402: A tourist scarer, but probably more convincing due to the reptiles' carnivorous nature and fearsome appearance. A common tale was that the bite of a goanna was infused with a powerful, incurable venom . Every year after the bite (or every seven years), the wound would flare up again. For many years, herpetologists generally believed goannas were nonvenomous, and lingering illness from their bites

270-551: A variety of environments. Most species are known to climb trees or outcrops; several primarily arboreal species are known. The lace monitor ( V. varius ) is probably the best-known among these, but is not the most common. The lace monitor is the second-largest of all goannas, reaching lengths up to 2 m (6.6 ft). Other more common tree goannas, such as the Timor tree monitor ( V. timorensis ) and mournful tree monitor ( V. tristis ,) do not grow to quite such lengths, typically

300-399: A young kangaroo , and then biting out chunks of flesh like a dog. All species are carrion eaters, so feed on the carcasses of dead animals, including livestock and other large creatures. The smell of rotting meat also attracts these lizards. Like most native fauna, goannas are rather wary of human intrusions into their habitat, and most likely run away (into the scrub, up a tree, or into

330-480: Is small enough to eat whole. They have been blamed by farmers for the death of sheep , though most likely erroneously, as goannas are also eaters of carrion and are attracted to rotting meat. Most goannas are dark-coloured, with greys, browns, blacks, and greens featuring prominently; however, white is also common. Many desert-dwelling species also feature yellow-red tones. Camouflage ranges from bands and stripes to splotches, speckles, and circles, and can change as

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360-453: Is the perentie ( V. giganteus ), which can grow over 2.5 m (8.2 ft) in length. Not all goannas are so large; pygmy goannas may be smaller than the arm of an adult human. The smallest of these, the short-tailed monitor ( V. brevicauda ), reaches only 20 cm (8 in) in length. They survive on smaller prey, such as insects and mice. Goannas combine predatory and scavenging behaviours. They prey on any animal they can catch that

390-644: The Aboriginal Land Trust in 1975, and later to the Amaroo Local Aboriginal Land Council. Aboriginal community gatherings are often held at Inglebah. "Traditionally Aboriginal people camped around Inglebah for fishing and ceremonial activities. Inglebah was favored because it was a sheltered, secure camping spot nestled between hills and the banks of the MacDonald River. It has a permanent water supply from

420-917: The Yugambal (Jukambal) and Ngarabal to their north, and the Gamilaraay to the west. The Anēwan consisted of several clans, one of which was the Himberrong horde . Their section names were: The Irong intermarried with the Iyong , and the Arpong with the Imbong . By the time R. H. Mathews began to record elements of the Anēwan language in 1903, remnants of the original tribe had been widely dispersed over New England. Those who remained in Armidale lived on

450-573: The Anēwan's traditional lands measured some 3,200 square miles (8,300 km ), spreading over the New England tableland from Moree, Guyra and Ben Lomond south to Uralla , Walcha , and the Moonbi Range . Northwest their borders ran to Tingha , and encompassed also Bendemeer and Armidale. Neighbouring tribes were the Baanbay (Gumbaynggir) to their east; the Djangadi to the south-east,

480-687: The South American lizards. Over time, the initial vowel sound was dropped. A similar explanation is used to link possums to the American opossum . The South African term for a monitor lizard is leguaan and this word is also from Spanish 'la iguana'. For a list of all monitor lizards of the genus, see Complete list of genus Varanus . The following are found in Australia. For the most part, in common names, "goanna" and "monitor" are interchangeable. Goannas are found throughout most of Australia, except for Tasmania , and manage to persist in

510-482: The air...the shrieks of natives could be heard as they fled in all directions...what became of them for the next six months was never known...they disappeared completely from their usual hunting grounds..." An%C4%93wan The Anēwan language , also known as Nganyaywana, has been classified by Robert M. W. Dixon as belonging to the Djan-gadi/Nganjaywana subgroup of Central New South Wales, and

540-752: The area and built cottages in fibro cement for its residents. Eventually, these were replaced by brick units in a settlement which the local Aboriginal community named Narwan . Goanna A goanna is any one of several species of lizard of the genus Varanus found in Australia and Southeast Asia. Around 70 species of Varanus 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 with sharp teeth and claws. The largest

570-611: The clan would leave their camp at Inglebah, always heading east in the direction of the Macleay River (Dunghutti territory), but they would not push too far over the Great Dividing Range . On returning from their winter trips, the clan would have a great corroboree . In the late 1800s, colonists used explosives to massacre the Himberrong clan at their main camp. The death toll is unknown. "There were pieces of burning wood of all sizes hurled hundreds of feet into

600-527: The creature matures, with juveniles sometimes being brighter than adults. Like most lizards, goannas lay eggs . Most lay eggs in a nest or burrow, but some species lay their eggs inside termite mounds. This offers protection and incubation; additionally, the termites may provide a meal for the young as they hatch. Unlike some other species of lizards, goannas do not have the ability to regrow limbs or tails. The name goanna derived from iguana , since early European bush settlers in Australia likened goannas to

630-595: The east (adjoining Dunghutti ), and from Nowendoc in the south (adjoining Biripi) to north of Walcha (adjoining Inuwon). Border disputes over the Moonbi Range were common between the Himberrong and a clan of the Gamilaraay. The main camp of the Himberrong was on the bank of the Muluerindie /Macdonald River about two miles upriver from where the 140-acre (57 ha) area of Inglebah now stands. Inglebah

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660-489: The lizard eats a legendary plant, or drinks from a healing spring , which neutralises the venom. (This idea is immortalised in Banjo Paterson 's humorous poem "Johnson's Antidote".) Goanna fat or oil has been anecdotally imbued with mystical healing properties (possibly in connection with their supposed venom immunity). Aboriginal people traditionally used goanna oil as an important bush medicine , and it also became

690-576: The species and the habitat. Prey can include all manner of small animals: insects, smaller lizards, snakes, mammals, birds, and eggs. Meals are often eaten whole, thus the size of their meals may depend on the size of the animals. Many of the small species feed mostly on insects, with some being small lizard experts. Many of the medium to large species feed on whatever prey they can catch. This includes eggs, fish ( V. mertensi ), birds, snails, smaller lizards, snakes, marsupials, and other small mammals, such as rodents. The giant perentie has been observed killing

720-466: The springs in the area, and various animals could be hunted there."CITEREFNSWOEH2013 The Himberrong clan spoke a dialect of the Anaiwan language . An elicitation of Anaiwan words was recorded on tape by Harry Wright in 1963 "as they were spoken by tribesmen coming into Armidale from Inglebah" . At the time of first contact, the Himberrong clan numbered around 600. Each year when winter was approaching,

750-491: The story "How the Goanna and Perentie Got Their Colours". European settlers perpetuated several old wives' tales about goanna habits and abilities; some of these have persisted in modern folklore among campers and bushmen. This includes the above-mentioned exaggeration of goannas dragging off sheep from shepherds' flocks in the night. This might even be exaggerated into child-snatching, rivalling drop bears (attack koalas ) as

780-569: The water, depending on the species). A goanna is a rather swift mover, and when pressed, sprints short distances on its hind legs. Goannas also rear up when threatened, either chased or cornered, and also inflate flaps of skin around their throats and emit harsh hissing noises. Some goannas lose their initial fear of humans, especially when food is involved (or has been previously involved). The wildlife authority recommends not feeding animals while in their territory. An attack can cause serious injury in exceptional cases, but most authorities doubt that

810-559: Was declared an Aboriginal reserve by the NSW Aborigines Protection Board in 1893, and is now preserved as a heritage Aboriginal Place. Inglebah is the Anaiwan word for whirlpools of crayfish ; the swamps and gullies throughout the Inglebah district are perforated with thousands of crayfish holes. Inglebah was home to 50 or families until the 1940s, when most of them moved away. The land was handed over to

840-586: Was due solely to infection and septicaemia as a result of their saliva being rife with bacteria from carrion and other food sources. However, in 2005, researchers at the University of Melbourne announced that oral venom glands had been found in both goannas and iguanas. Because the goanna regularly eats snakes (which may involve a fierce struggle), including venomous species, they are often said to be immune to snake venom . However, no evidence found suggests an actual venom immunity . Other stories say that

870-417: Was one of three varieties of the group, the other dialects being Himberrong and Inuwon. For a long time Anēwan was regarded, like Mbabaram , as a linguistic isolate , ostensibly failing to fit into the known Australian patterns of language, since the material in word-lists taken down of its vocabulary appeared to lack cognates in contiguous languages such as Gamilaraay . The status of its seeming irregularity

900-497: Was solved in 1976 by Terry Crowley who showed that the differences were caused by initial consonant loss which, once accounted for, yielded up over 100 cognate terms between Anēwan and other languages and dialects of the region. One of the peculiarities generated by this phenomenon of initial loss was that many homophones were created between originally distinct words, so that in Anēwan the word for goanna and bull ant became identical ( janda ). According to Norman Tindale ,

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