Australian Goanna

Today I visited the Barmah Forest Education and Heritage Centre in Nathalia, a small town close to the forest and the great Murray River. Walking into the premises I noticed these quite beautiful paintings in the floor of the building, but on producing the camera it was revealed through the lens that they are 3 dimensional paintings - quite astonishing, really.  They have been  installed by pavement artist Ulla Taylor, from Melbourne. I just couldn't believe how, through the lens the images literally jumped out at you.
The Australian Goanna, or Monitor Lizard was so named by early European settlers. They are predators and forage for lizards, snakes, birds, eggs and insects. They can run very fast and are very good tree climbers, especially when under threat.
I know this isn't the real deal, but I just wanted to share one of these astonishing art works.
My biggest disappointment was that this, being a Heritage Centre has little information on local indigenous history. Unbelievable considering the Walkoff from the Cummergunga mission (in the Barmah Forest) in 1939, of 150 aborigines was the very first protest against the protectorates put in place to control the River Murray indigenous population. The tour guide was quite racist and dismissive when I challenged him. I came home seething and rang an Aboriginal Elder friend to express my anger and he is going to raise it with the Yorta Yorta Cooperative tomorrow.  This needs to be addressed, because that tour guide will go on spouting such rubbish if not challenged.
Best I get off my soapbox, I think!