Our Mascot - The Eastern Water Dragon

The Eastern Water Dragon has been adopted as Penrith’s symbol for sustainability and it features on the logo to brand Council’s Sustainable Penrith program. The Eastern Water dragon was chosen because it lives along the banks of the many creeks and tributaries of the Nepean River and it represents the environmental, social and economic health of Penrith City.

Their habitat and numbers along the creek banks is a good indicator of the health of the City’s waterways. They are long-living, sociable creatures, which live together in communities. In Chinese mythology the Water Dragon is a symbol of well-being and prosperity, reflecting Council’s commitment to sustainable economic growth.

The Sustainable Penrith logo
The logo was designed by Australian Museum Business Services. The design concept aims to take into account the connectedness of environmental, social and economic factors. The water dragon itself represents the environment and the support it stands on, based on Council’s River, Mountains, Lakes brand, symbolises the support the community can provide to the environment and that Council provides to its communities.

The Australian Museum Business Services produced a species profile on the Easter Water Dragon as part of its research for the design of the Sustainable Penrith logo. To view the full document, click here .

The Dragon is positive and forward looking, reflecting the principles underlying the Sustainable Penrith program.

About Water Dragons
Water dragons (Physignathus lesuerii) belong to the lizard family Agamidae and are Australia’s largest dragon lizards. They are found only along the east coast of Australia, from Cooktown in north Queensland to eastern Victoria. Their average body length is 20 cm, not including the tail, and they can live for more than 20 years.

Eastern Water Dragons are semi-aquatic lizards that feed and live near creeks, rivers and lakes. They inhabit the creeks and river systems of Penrith as well as the vegetation that grows alongside these waterways. Eastern Water Dragons are found in the Penrith area largely because of its diverse range of creek and river habitats.

Eastern Water Dragons have rough, spiny scales and are often armoured with enlarged spines or scales on the head, backbone and tail. Their average body length is 20 cm, not including the tail. They will often lift their heads to display the bright red colour on their throats and chests. This can be used to attract or threaten other water dragons and startle predators.

Eastern Water Dragons are diurnal. This means that they are active during both day and night time hours. During this period of activity, they hunt for insects, frogs, yabbies, water insects, fruit and berries. Eastern Water Dragons are active all year but, in the cooler parts of their range, they can have a winter dormancy period. During this period, the dragons dig a small hole under a rock or log and seal the entrance until spring when they emerge.

To avoid conflict, Eastern Water Dragons may drop straight into water where they can stay hidden for long periods of time, even sleeping there, with only their nostrils exposed.

Eastern Water Dragons breed during spring. Mating occurs near waterways where the males defend territories. The females then lay their eggs away from the river in nests. These nests are small depressions in the ground that are later covered with soil. Female Eastern Water Dragons lay between 10 and 20 eggs from October to December, with hatching occurring in summer. Eastern Water Dragons can live for more than 20 years.

Scientists at the University of Canberra are currently studying Eastern Water Dragons to determine the impact climate change may have on Australia’s native animals.

Ecological scientist Dr Sean Doody, of the Division of Health and Science, is studying how the egg incubation temperature determines the sex of the dragons. His research is focussing on how water dragons produce the right mix of boys and girls in different temperature zones. Hot and cold eggs produce girl dragons, while intermediate temperatures produce boys.

As the eastern water dragon is found in many different climate zones across Australia, the way they adjust to temperature changes may offer vital clues to how native animals will cope with human-induced global warming. His work will also help us to understand how species of turtles, lizards and fish will deal with increased global temperatures.

Have you seen a Water Dragon out and about in Penrith City?  Let us know to help us build a database of Dragon sightings.  Just tell us when, where and how many you saw. To view our data base check out our Sustainable Penrith Blog.

To find out more about the Eastern Water Dragon or Herpetological Societies you can visit:

Australian National Botanic Gardens
Hawkesbury Herpetological Society
Herpetological Societies in NSW
The Australian Herpetological Society

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