Location: Coolendel National Park at the Shoalhaven river area, about a 3 hour drive south of Sydney

Possible Cryptid: Bunyip

Witnesses: 1

Reporter info: Name, email, and personal info given but wishes to use tumblr name ”izvrstan” in place of real name.

User described details of sighting: “Hey guys, saw your post and I thought you might appreciate my, well what I suspect is an experience you might be interested in. It was a couple years ago when i went on a little adventure/camping trip with my girlfriend. We traveled down to Coolendel National Park at the Shoalhaven riverina area, about a 3 hour drive south of Sydney. We were camping along the river during a long weekend with a two person kayak. It was the second morning of the trip, just before dusk and we were camping near the main river.

About a fifteen minute walk inland from our campsite there was a billabong, which is similar to a pond but much more over-grown with a pretty deep and quick moving stream feeding into it. I was finishing taking care of some ‘business’ when I heard a thick splash in the water. Immediately I spun around and looked in the water. I used my iPhone torch to look into the pound and I shit you not, I saw a horse/crocodile head in the water with two horse size eyes floating on top of the water looking at me. In this part of Australia, there is no way in hell there could be croc in the area. For a minute or two I was in a state of awe and fear just staring at this thing. I could see whatever this thing was slowly floating towards my general direction. This animal or whatever it was had a relatively strong thick tail floating on top of the water about a meter behind where its head was, but it did not look reptilian. I turned around and ran back to our tent as fast as I could.

I told my girlfriend to quickly pack up everything and jump back into the canoe and continue down the river. Never saw the thing again. Naturally I looked up on the net whatever information I could find about this thing. I was never into Cryptozoology but the only explanation that could explain it was that it was a bloody Bunyip. It was either that or a croc, but it is far too south for it. Never been back to Coolendel and never will. Most terrifying experience of my life.”

Thank you for the email! It honestly sounds like the creature you encountered was the legendary Australian Bunyip. The horse-looking head is often a major characteristic of sea serpents and lake/river monsters all around the world, but since this one was mixed with the characteristics of an alligator head, it stands out as unique and looks as if a serpent can be ruled out as the creature the witness encountered. The Bunyip has often been described as having a dog-like face, a crocodile like head, dark fur, a long almost horse-like tail, flippers, and walrus-like tusks or horns. The witness spotted two of the major characteristics with the sighting of the head and tail.

Let’s now look at theories as to what this creature may be if it is not a Bunyip. The mention of eyes “floating” on the top brings up the idea of possible eye stalks on the head. If this idea is true, we could then start to lean towards the possibility of either a new unknown amphibian that has evolved eyestalks, or possibly a new species of giant gastropod mollusk. If it was a gastropod mollusk, would it be strictly aquatic or land based? Or could it even be both? Would it have a shell of some sort like a snail or be more like a slug? There are too many buts and what-ifs that keep us from leaning towards any scientifically recognized known animal species. But that does not mean it isn’t one. Cryptid research means we have to take every option into consideration. We personally believe that this was not a crocodile encounter because the witness is from Australia and knows without a doubt what a crocodile looks like and what areas they often frequent. Plus, crocs don’t have eyes that float above its head.

So what did this person encounter? Personally, we feel that it was truly a Bunyip.

-The Pine Barrens Institute

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