Australia
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Mamandi
The Mamandi are evil spirits from the myths of the Aboriginal people of Australia. They were painted on caves, and one was notably depicted at Oenpelli. In depictions, their sex organs are often enlarged and prominent. One notable depiction showed one with thirteen dancing figures in their body. This was supposedly a depiction of a pregnant Mamandi drawn by another form of spirit called Mimi. They are depicted with legs thrown backwards, and often have spines growing from their feet, ankles, waist, breasts, and elbows. Sometimes they will have long barbed tongues emerging from beak-like lips. Their head shape varies from mushroom-like to hook-like. Due to their malicious nature, they…
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Nadubi
The Nadubi are creatures from Australian myth of the Aboriginal people. This creature isn’t thought to have any associated myths. All information comes from prehistoric paintings and oral tradition. They’re described as evil spirits and are extra intimidating to locals. A Nadubi woman is depicted in a bark painting from the Oenpelli territory. Depictions suggest that they are similar to creatures called the Mimi, and the term “Mamandi” is sometimes used to describe them. They have stingray-like barbs coming from the joints. Specifically, spikes come from the elbows, knees, wrists, head, and from the vulva in the case of women. The barbs are magical and can be shot invisibly at…
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Mimi/Mini
The Mimi are spirits from Aboriginal Australian myth. They can be seen on bark and rock paintings, often in Arnhem Land. They have bodies filled in with geometric shapes, and these shapes may be associated with specific clans. Traditional colors of the Mimi are red, yellow, and white. They are described as mischievous and so thin that one can see right through them. They have small heads, gaping mouths, long necks, exceptionally long arms, and hair made of many parallel lines. Some depictions have feathers growing from their knees and ankles. It’s believed they are thin so that they don’t blow around in the wind, which could break their necks…
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Megalania
The Megalania is a massive species of lizard from Australia and New Guinea. Most believe this species has been extinct for 19,000 years, though some think it could still be alive today. They are known to have serrated blade teeth and some suggest they could reach a max of 23 feet in length and weigh over 4000 pounds. They are related to the Komodo dragon, though their closest living relative is a lizard called the perentie. In one encounter from Australia, two lumberjacks encountered a 20-foot-long lizard in the woods. The creature bit off two fingers from one of the men, and the other man killed it by driving a…
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Dooligah
The Dooligah is a form of hairy hominid from Australia related to the Yowie. They stand four feet tall, have ape-like features, and can move incredibly fast through the woods. Citations: Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.
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Doan
Doan is a spirit in animal form from aboriginal Australian myth. He existed in the form of a glider possum and had remarkable strength for his size. He was a swift hunter, possibly due to the gliding possum’s speed going through the air, and flew effortlessly. He is known from the myth Bram-Bram-Bult where he chased a kangaroo named Purra, only to be attacked and consumed by an echidna named Wembulin. His uncles Yuree and Wanjel found pieces of his remains being carried away by ants and swore vengeance on Wembulin. Citations: Allan, Tony, et al. Journeys Through Dreamtime: Oceanian Myth. Netherlands, Time-Life Books, 1999. Wilkinson, Philip. Myths & Legends:…
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Yara-Ma-Yha-Who
The Yara-Ma-Yha-Who is a creature from Australia. They are short human like creatures with red skin, no teeth and oversized heads. They can greatly stretch their mouths to swallow their victims whole. They are nocturnal and dislike the sun. They spend the day in caves by the water, but they live in fig trees. They hold onto branches with their octopus-like fingers, wait for people to pass underneath their trees then scoops them up. They use the suckers on their fingers and toes to drain them of blood. After they drain them, they swallow them whole, then later regurgitate them alive. This process repeated multiple time turns the victim into…
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Wulgaru
The Wulgaru is a creature from aboriginal Australian myth. The Wulgaru is an artificial humanoid creature created by a man named Djarapa. He took living wood from a tree and shaped it into human form, with ball sockets and joints made from stone and wood, shards of flint for teeth, human hair, and pebbles for eyes. Djarapa tried to bring his creation to life with magic chants but on the second day with no results he kicked the Wulgaru and walked away. He heard heavy footsteps following behind him and turned to see the Wulgaru in pursuit with an enraged expression. He ran but couldn’t escape. He tried leading his…
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Moorundi Water Spirit
The Moorundi Water Spirit is an unnamed creature from the myths of the Moorundi people of Australia by the Murray River. This bizarre creature is sometimes related to stories of the Bunyip. The creature is dreaded by the local people and appears frequently. Despite the frequency of its appearances, it was supposedly difficult to describe, with the closest comparison being to a giant starfish. The story of this creature was documented by a naturalist named George French Angas in 1847. Citations: Angas, George French. Savage Life and Scenes in Australia and New Zealand: Being an Artist’s Impressions of Countries and People at the Antipodes. United Kingdom, Reed, 1847. Journal of…
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Garkain
The Garkain is from Australian Aboriginal Myth. They are hairy, man-sized bat hominids with massive black wings and sharp teeth. They have been more recently described as humanoid bats with canine heads. They roost in trees and wait for traveling people to pass underneath who they then eat. They have a stench strong enough to make someone pass out. They live in inaccessible areas like caves but go to forests and swamps to hunt. Some of these creatures are believed to live around the area of the Liverpool River. They can be killed with normal weapons. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United…
