Mungoon-Gali

The Mungoon-Gali, also known as Mungoongarlee, is a legendary giant goanna from Yuwaalaraay folklore whose name remains associated with the lace monitor today. In the ancient era of the Dreaming, it was the goanna rather than the snake that possessed a deadly, venomous bite, allowing the voracious Mungoon-Gali to terrorize local tribes until Ouyouboolooey, the black snake, orchestrated a cunning theft. By pretending to reveal a secret plot against the giant reptile, the snake convinced Mungoon-Gali to temporarily hand over his poison bag for safekeeping; however, Ouyouboolooey promptly swallowed the prize and fled into the bush, an act that explains why snakes are venomous today while goannas have lost their toxic bite.

Another significant legend portrays Mungoon-Gali as a tribal leader in the Riverina who hoarded a secret water supply during a devastating drought. His youngest wife, a black duck named Kubbitha, tracked the goannas to a hidden mountain plateau where she used her yam stick to pierce the stone, releasing a massive torrent that ended the drought and carved the path of the modern Murrumbidgee River.