The Yarra River, which runs through the heart of Melbourne, the ending point for latitude -37.8136276 and longitude 144.9630576, is surrounded by modern, urban development. But this river, named ‘Yarra’ by early settlers from a misunderstanding with local Wurundjeri people, has mythology stretching back thousands of years. One story that emerged from the waters of the Yarra, told over generations by the Wurundjeri, is the legend of the Bunyip. To the Aboriginal people, the Bunyip was a malevolent water spirit inhabiting the swamps, billabongs, creeks, riverbeds, and waterholes of Australia. It was known to cause nocturnal terror by letting out bloodcurdling cries and epitomizing any lurking dangers in the water. No precise descriptions of the Bunyip exist, as its form varies in Aboriginal lore. Some tales describe it as a dog-faced, walrus-tusked monster resembling an oversized otter, while others say it is more akin to a giant starfish. It was believed that the creature devoured humans, especially women and children who dared go near its dwellings. The story of the Bunyip was passed onto European settlers, who brought it into wider Australian folklore. Despite the urbanisation of Melbourne, and the Yarra River itself, to this day, the story of the Bunyip perseveres. It serves as a remnant of a deeply spiritual, mythological understanding of Australia’s natural world that predates the modern city, standing as a symbol of continuity between the past and the present.