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 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 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 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 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 the goanna Mr Lizard has been placed outside the State Library of Victoria. The villain in the Disney film The Rescuers Down Under, Percival C. McLeach, has a pet goanna named Joanna. References Further reading Cogger, H. (1967). Australian Reptiles in Colour. Sydney: A. H. & A. W. Reed, King, Dennis & Green, Brian. 1999. Goannas: The Biology of Varanid Lizards. University of New South Wales Press. Underhill, D. (1993). Australia's Dangerous Creatures. Sydney: Reader's Digest. External links Johnson's Antidote by Banjo Paterson. A Run-In With An