This goanna was about 3.5 metres (4 1/2 feet) long, and is a pretty big specimen but not as big as they come.

They will eat grasshoppers, mice, and lizards smaller than themselves.  If you keep chickens you will soon see a goanna; they love to sneak in and eat the eggs.  Chicken farmers regard them as a pest.

Occasionally seen in urban areas, they are most common in the country where they can be found sunning themselves on a large rock.  Although they may look it, they are not aggressive, in fact they are rather timid and will quickly scurry up a tree if surprised.  The grey bark of an Australian Gum tree offers good camouflage.

The goanna is a traditional Australian Aboriginal meal.