GO, GO GOANNA! A lace monitor, Varanus varius, otherwise known as a tree goanna, suns itself on the trunk of a gum tree at Tooan near Mount Arapiles.

Lace-monitor goannas, the second largest of Australian monitors behind the perentie, are relatively common in wilderness areas in the Wimmera, with a range stretching from far north Queensland to South Australia.

They become more active in warmer months, occasionally providing visitors to national and state parks in the region with a unique wildlife experience. Picture: KELLY LAIRD