1972, Canberra, our Nation’s Capital City …

I’ve always liked old Monster Movies, especially the original ‘King Kong’, the idea of a gigantic creature crashing into things and generally being very annoying, really appealed to me!

Back in the ‘old days of Canberra’ when Lake Burley Griffin was first filled, you could safely go for a swim without European carp biting your toes or waterweed monsters trying to tangle you up.

It was on a lazy Saturday afternoon down at Yarralumla Bay, lying on the sand, looking across the water towards Civic Centre, that I first imagined a monster devouring all our beautiful buildings here in the Nation’s Capital ….. So I decided to write and illustrate a book about it … I’d never written a book before ….

The monster I chose was a Bunyip, a large fearsome beast from Aboriginal mythology. The Bunyip is said to lurk in swamps, billabongs, creeks, riverbeds, and waterholes. Lake Burley Griffin was the perfect waterhole for such a beast!

My Bunyip was named ‘Alexander’ (after a pet duck we had in our backyard) He was a shy beast that hid from humans, which was pretty hard to do as his scales were bright pink!

The rest is ‘History’ … Canberra people loved the book about all their famous buildings being eaten. He became ‘Canberra’s Bunyip’ … and still is. The ACT Government had a statue of him erected in the Gungahlin Town Square in 2011. You can visit him there and if you do, make sure you rub his tummy and make a wish … ALL Bunyip wishes do come true (mine did!)

There is a list of all Alexander’s adventures below.
Thank you for visiting.
All the best
Cheers
Michael Salmon

‘The Alexander Bunyip story’ … so far

1972	BOOK: ‘The Monster that ate Canberra’ printed by Summit Press, Fyshwick, ACT, launched at The Canberra Theatre Centre Gallery (Self-published. Written and illustrated by Michael Salmon)
1973	BOOK: ‘Son of the Monster’ printed by Summit Press, Fyshwick, ACT
1974	BOOK: ‘Travels with the Monster’ printed by Summit Press, Fyshwick, ACT
1974	‘Alexander Bunyip float’ Canberra Day (25,000 people) Winner: ‘Best float in Parade’, The Canberra Children’s Theatre … First Public appearance (Bunyip suit made in a garage in Lyneham!)
1974	‘The Monster that ate Canberra’ Pantomime, at The Theatre Centre Playhouse, presented by The Canberra Children’s Theatre
1974	Bunyip appearance on ‘The Mike Walsh show’ TV Channel 10, Sydney
1975	ABC Radio (Canberra) serialisation of ‘The Monster that ate Canberra’
1975	BOOK: ‘The Monster in space’ printed by Summit Press, Fyshwick, ACT
1975	‘The Monster in space’ Pantomime, at Theatre 3, presented by The Canberra Children’s Theatre
1975	Monaro Mall Children’s mural, designed by ACT Children, painted by MS (incl Bunyip scenes)
1976	NCDC finances M. Salmon’s first ACT Schools tour: talking to Students, drawing Bunyip cartoons etc
1977	Scullin Primary School presents ‘The Monster that ate Canberra’ at the ACT 77’ Drama Festival
1978 – 1988	National ABC-TV Show: Various formats: ‘ARV, Alexander’s Afternoon, Alexander Bunyip’s Billabong’ (Puppets) ABC studios, Gore Hill, Sydney + many promotions, incl Bunyip Club
1980	BOOK ‘Alexander Bunyip’ published by ABC Enterprises, Sydney
1980	BOOK: ‘Alexander Bunyip and the Swagman’ published by ABC Enterprises, Sydney
1980	Koomarri Society, ACT: releases series of Bunyip readers for ACT Children (Fund raiser)
1981	Australian Toy Fair, Sydney: Launch of ‘Alexander Bunyip and his family’ soft toy range
1981	BOOK: ‘Cousin Emma and the green jungle’ published by Golden Press, Sydney
1981	BOOK: ‘The Bush Fire’ published by Golden Press, Sydney
1981	BOOK: ‘The Birthday Party’ published by Golden Press, Sydney
1981	BOOK: ‘Brother Bert comes tstay’ published by Golden Press, Sydney
1981-1982	The Australian Women’s Weekly: Activity half page ‘Alexander Bunyip’s Billabong’
1982	The Bush Fire Council of NSW adopts ‘Alexander, the Bush Fire Bunyip’ releases stickers/School’s kit/board game, Big books.
1982 – 1983	Launch of Bunyip merchandise in many product categories (20+ Companies)
1983	The Canberra Festival: ‘Alexanders Birthday party’ show/promotions
1983	ACT Bush Fire Council adopts ‘The Bush Fire Bunyip’ as safety spokesfigure/releases stickers & ACT Fire Brigade uses Bunyip for promotions
1983	Royal Melbourne Botanic gardens ‘The Bunyip Magic show’ promotion
1986	Royal Easter Show, Sydney ‘Bunyip show’ The Bush Fire Council of NSW
1987	The Canberra Festival Mural design (Dinosaurs) City Hill + Canberra Festival performances on inflatable stage, Commonwealth Park
1987	The Bush Fire Council of NSW: ‘Bunyip promotions/Helicopter tour’ Northern NSW
1988	Design of ‘The Dinodome’ (Sponsored by the Tuggeranong Hyperdome) Canberra Festival + performances inside Dinodome marquee, Commonwealth Park
1988	Alexander used in Canberra Tourist Promotions, WORLD EXP88’ (Brisbane)
1990	BOOK: ‘The NEW Monster that ate Canberra’ published by PAR, Sydney
1992	BOOK: ‘Spot the Bunyip’ published by Gary Allen Press, Sydney
1993	BOOK: ‘Spot the Bunyip activity book’ published by Gary Allen Press, Sydney
2001	Bunyip Primary School, VIC: The National Library of Australia launches it’s travelling Bunyip Exhibition and website (incl Alex Bunyip activities) http://www.nla.gov.au/exhibitions/bunyips/
2004	BOOK: ‘The Monster that ate Canberra’ (NEW EDITION) published by the National Capital Authority, Canberra
2004/2005/2006	NCA Bunyip Promotions around Canberra (incl Regatta Point) + competition
2008	Canberra Youth Theatre workshops ‘The Monster that ate Canberra’ and presents a production
2008	Gungahlin Community Council proposes a statue of Alexander Bunyip outside it’s forthcoming Library … as a tribute tthe book’s role in helping young people of the ACT read over 37 years
2009	April: Gungahlin Community Council: Alexander Bunyip colouring competition
2009	September: Gungahlin Community Council announces ACT Government Ministerial approval for bronze statue of ALEXANDER tbe erected 2011, launched officially at Harrison School, ACT (4/09/09)
2011	13th April: ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope ‘unveils’ the Bunyip Statue: Gungahlin Town Square. 500 kg of bronze, $175,000 cost, sculpted by Anne Ross. An artsACT project.
2011	May: New edition of ‘The Monster that ate Canberra’ from Halstead Press. National Library launch of title by the new NLA Director-General, Ms Anne-Marie Schwirtlich
2012	June: NLA presents ‘Alexander Bunyip’s stories of Australia’ School sessions at the Library with MS. Promotion of The Treasures Gallery
2013	May: NLA presents ‘Alexander Bunyip’s real history of Canberra’ School sessions at the Library with MS. Promotion of Canberra’s 100th Birthday
2014	May: NLA presents ‘Alexander Bunyip’s … Under the Lake’ School sessions at the Library with MS. Promotion of Canberra’s 50th year – filling of Lake Burley Griffin
2015	April: Communities at work, ACT presents ‘Celebrate Gungahlin’, a community Fair based around the Bunyip Statue in the Town square. MS sessions in the Public Library
2015	June: NLA presents ‘Alexander Bunyip’s … History is Fun’ School sessions at the Library with MS. Australian History syllabus for Years 3 – 6.