A Aldabra Tortoise receives a Christmas treat at Taronga Zoo on December 14, 2012 in Sydney, Australia. Taronga Zoo celebrated Christmas early giving Christmas-themed environmental activities to the Zoo's Giraffes, Sun Bears, Meerkats, Aldabra Tortoise and Cockatoos providing a wonderful natural display for Zoo visitors. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams)

In this composite image (top) flooding is seen in the Toowoomba central business district on January 10, 2011 and (bottom) the same location as seen on January 5, 2012 in Toowoomba, Australia. January 10 marks the one year anniversary of the inland tsunami that devestated southern Queensland's Lockyer valley killing 23 people. (Photos by Dan Proud (top) and Lisa Maree Williams (bottom) /Getty Images)

The crowd watches as stunt pilots Melissa Pemberton, Jurgis Kairys and Skip Stewart of The Immortals fly past pyrotechnics as they perform at The Australian International Airshow on March 1, 2015 in Avalon, Australia. (Photo by Scott E. Barbour/Getty Images)

A girl dives under a wave at Bondi Beach as temperatures reached 29 degrees celsius on December 17, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. The Bureau of Meteorology predicted the arrival of thunderstorms and showers later today with a southerly change bringing possible severe storms around the Sydney region. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

Darryl Horner jnr riding Flying Agent (bottom R) races away to defeat Steven Pateman riding Bit of a Lad in Race 6, the 3yb Scotty Stewart Brierly Steeplechase, on Brierly Day during the Warrnambool Jumps Carnival at Warrnambool Racing Club on May 04, 2021 in Warrnambool, Australia. (Photo by Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images)

Single Sports Second Prize. Garrett Gerloff (31) and Sandro Cortese (11) crash in the World Superbike warm-up during the World Championship on Phillip Island, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/AAP Photo/Istanbul Photo Awards 2021)

A kangaroo and joey are seen in a burnt forest on Kangaroo Island, south west of Adelaide on January 16, 2020. Australia’s continuing bushfire crisis has taken an enormous toll on wildlife, with huge numbers of mammals, birds, reptiles, insects and other species killed. (Photo by Jo-Anne McArthur/Weanimals)

Fossil records indicate that this early lizard, Megalania (Megalania prisca or Varanus priscus), was a whopping seven metres in length. They were part of a megafaunal assemblage that inhabited southern Australia during the Pleistocene. The youngest fossil remains date to around 50,000 years ago. The first aboriginal settlers of Australia might have encountered them and been a factor in their extinction. (Photo by Sky TV/The Guardian)