Adventure Idea- Bunyip Hunt

Seeing as I am about to take a break from running Victoriana at my table (Starwars if you want to know), the next few posts will be scenario ideas I don't want to forget over the summer. Feel free to take them or leave them.

Although Victoriana has a necessary element of alternate history (the world would be different given magic, elves, and giants), the real world is still ripe for story plundering. One of my favorite methods of adventure building is to take a real world occurrence and branch out from it.   
For example the Bunyip sightings in the mid 1800s. 

The Bunyip is a lake dwelling creature from Australian Aboriginal folklore. When Europeans started to colonize they were warned by the Aborigine of a terrifying man eater that lived the water. Descriptions of Bunyips are not consistent, ranging from dog like heads and walrus like bodies, horse like heads with feathers, or even gigantic starfish shaped bodies.
Sighting continued and expeditions were sent to try and find one, then in the 1840-50s a huge number of sightings were reported.  Whatever made for the increase in sightings would be ideal for an adventure in Australia. 

 A few possible stories with the Bunyip sightings:

1. The Bunyip could be an Archon invoked by powerful a Aborigine Goetist wishing to drive out squatters or rebel against the now independent colonial governors. Perhaps certain springs are cursed to cause horrible visions of a monster featuring whatever fearsome descriptions will scare its victims back to Europe. Or the emotion could be needed to fuel deep magic in the Dream Time.

2. The Bunyip is nothing but a ruse. A group of gold miners in New South Wales are trying to keep people away from a very prosperous claim. They are spreading rumors of the Bunyip and causing sightings with a stuffed seal carcass. Or a real Bunyip. 

3. With civilization pushing further into the outback, it’s possible a two groups not wanting to be found by settlers could bump into each other. A group of Bush Rangers uncovered something that prefers to be left alone. The  Bunyips are desperate to find something the Bush Rangers took. Life could get a bit unpleasant for isolated farms and settlements when the Bunyips come to search for their treasure. 

Whatever the case, this has to take place in Australia. There is too much flavor and background to take it anywhere else. Maybe the players have stepped on the toes of the law once too often, and are now among the last few groups of convicts sailing to Australia, or they have been expressly sent by a scientific institution to join an expedition looking for the Bunyip.

I am not planning on running this myself (Why leave London?) but I hope it sets you thinking about how simple it is to find a story in the gaps of history.  Just look for one interesting idea, see what is happening alongside it, and then add a layer of Victorian Fantasy.