Story of Gurangadge the giant eel Dreamtime ancestor: as told by Robyn Williams in 1988. The Dreamtime is called Gun’-yung-ga’-lung in Gandangara language. Long ago all animals were people, they were the Burringilling. They could make rivers and mountains and they created all the land that you see. Gurangadge was part eel part reptile. One of his camping places was in a large, deep water hole called Mur-rau-ral. Gurangadge , he used to lie in the shallow water near the bank to sun himself. One day Murragan, the native tiger, a great fisherman caught a glimpse of Gurangadge’s eye which shone like a star in the water. Murragan tried to spear him but Gurangadge swam to the centre of the water hole, where it was very deep. Murragan went into the bush and cut some hickory bark to poison the water and stun the fish, but it was not strong enough to make Gurangadge sick.Gurangadge was furious so he tore up the ground along the Wollondilly, making water flow after him. Gurangadge burrowed and tunnelled underground until he came out on arocky ridge where he formed a spring (sacred site) called Bir-rim-bun-nung-a –lai or Rocky Waterhole. Gurangadge raised his head above the waterhole and his tongue flashed with lightning. Gurangadge was a great magician so he could make water flow uphill. He kept burrowing under the mountains and he came up inside Wan-bee-ang caves. Murragan tracked his prey and then lost him in the underground passages. Murragn was too afraid to go in the underground so he went up on top of the rocks and dug a hole as deep as he could. He prodded a long pole down as far as it would reach, trying to frighten Gurangadge out. Murragan dug more holes and shoved poles into each one. These are the potholes at Wan-bee-an caves.Gurangadge dived down into the tunnel towards the Wollondilly River. Some miles away, Murragan’s family heard Gurangadge coming thundering with a flood behind him. They ran away in terror. Murragan’s wife scolded him for meddling with Gurangadge. Murragan chased after Gurangadge and overtook him at Woong-ga-ree or Slippery Rock. They fought for a long time.Gurangadge even as Murragan hit him with a big boondee. Gurangadge made Ked-oom-ba Creek, now known as Katoomba. Gurangadge travelled to Bin-noo-mur or Jenolan caves. He met some relations. He rested in a deep waterhole (sacred site) called Joo-lun-doo. Murragan built a hig wall to stop Gurangdage from getting back into the underground caverns, this wall is called Dan-dak-ma-lai. Murragn wnet west and found some friends wh were eating small eels roasted on the fire. He wouldn’t at any and he asked his friends o dive after Gurangadge. Billagoola the shag, Goota-gwan-gwan the diver and Gundhareen the wood duck. At joolundoo Gundhareen dived into the pool but was unable to reach the bottom. Goota-gwan-gwan brought back a small eel to the surface. Billagoola dived and whne he got to the deep section he saw several eels trying to hide Gurangadge by covering him with mud. Gurangadge jammed his head into a crevice and his tail into another. Billagoola could not shift him. Billagoola pulled a huge piece of flesh from Gurangadge’s back. The friends cooked the meat and had a huge feast. Gurangadge did not die. He lives on, in the waterholes in Gandangara country and a long the Wollindilly. He lives at Doogalool, Gungga-lok, Woongaree and he lives at Gulguer which is called Bents Basin. If you watch quietly you might see his eyes shining in the water.