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This article is from the soc.culture.australian FAQ, by Stephen Wales with numerous contributions by others.

12.3.12 What is a bunyip? [BT]

Originally an Aboriginal legend. A bunyip is a creature which lives
in fresh or brackish waterways (rivers, billabongs, swamps, but not
the ocean). I believe that like most legendary creatures, it eats
humans.

More recently, "Bazza the Bunyip" has been appearing on Australian TV
sets, begging us all to "not muck up the Murray [River]", but I don't
think that's what the question meant.

Also, there is a mechanical bunyip in the Murray Bridge caravan park.
If you insert 20 cents, (s)he will rise from the depths of his/her
caged pond, let rip with some terrifying roars, and subside. The
whole performance takes about a minute, and used to be a lot more
frightening when I was very young...

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