THE REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS OF AUSTRALIA - MONITORS

AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PHOTOS AND INFORMATION
Covering Australian Snakes, Lizards, Crocodiles, Turtles, and Amphibians

PLEASE SHARE THIS PAGE

HOME

COLUBRID SNAKES - Colubridae Homalopsidae Mud Snakes

PYTHON SNAKES - Pythonidae

ELAPID SNAKES - Elapidae Cobras Coral Snakes

SEA SNAKES - Hydrophiinae Laticaudidae Sea Kraits

FILE SNAKES - Acrochordidae

BLIND SNAKES - Worm Snakes - Typhlopidae Ramphotyphlops

Selection of Australian Frogs

TURTLES Tortoises Chelonii Testudines

DRAGON LIZARDS Agamas Agamidae

GECKO LIZARDS Gekkonidae

LEGLESS LIZARDS Pygopodidae Pygopods

MONITOR LIZARDS Goannas Varanids Varanidae

Skinks of Australia

CROCODILES Crocodylia Crocodilia Saltwater freshwater estuarine

REPTILES OF THE WORLD SPECIES LISTS


ROSENBERG'S (or HEATH) MONITOR
Varanus rosenbergi
Grows to around 1.25 metres (4-5ft)


A subadult Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi) photographed at Coffin Bay SA


 
Approximate distribution of the Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi)


Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor Varanus rosenbergi
A Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi) from southeastern SA


A Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi) from southwestern WA
A Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi) from southwestern WA


Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi) photographed at the Gorge Wildlife Park, South Australia.
Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi) photographed at the Gorge Wildlife Park, South Australia.

A very young Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi) photographed at Coffin Bay SA
A very young Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi) photographed basking on the road at Coffin Bay SA


Information as you enter Coffin Bay National Park
Information as you enter Coffin Bay National Park


Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor Varanus rosenbergi
A yearling Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi) from NSW east coast.


Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor Varanus rosenbergi
A hatchling Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi) from Kangaroo Island, SA

Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor Varanus rosenbergi
A hatchling Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi) from Kangaroo Island, SA

Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor Varanus rosenbergi
A young Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi) at the Adelaide Zoo, South Australia.

This large species lays up to about a dozen eggs normally in termite mounds. Occasionally bred in captivity, it grows to over a metre (total length).

In some parts of its range it is rarely seen, however in other parts such as Kangaroo Island in South Australia it is extremely common. Wild Rosenberg's/Heath Monitors (Varanus rosenbergi) tend to be more aggressive if handled than the common Sand Goannas, (Varanus gouldii) and wild animals are more likely to bite if handled. It is often confused with Varanus varius (Lace Monitor) and Varanus gouldii (Sand Goanna) and is often found in sandy areas. It is more arboreal than the Sand Goanna but does dig burrows. Varanus Rosenberg's/Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi) used to be called Varanus gouldii rosenbergi and in the Sydney NSW region used to be referred to a "Sydney Gould's"


LINKS OF INTEREST

Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi)
iNaturalist

Click here for more Information about Australian Monitors


RECOMMENDED AMAZON BOOKS
(Affiliate commission earned)

Varanoid Lizards of the World A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia 5th edition Edition

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases


OTHER LINKS OF INTEREST

Find a Random species of Australian Reptile

Visit the Australian Herpetology Website

Monitors of The World

Monitors of Australia

LIZARDS OF AUSTRALIA

 Lizards of the World

Monitors
of
The World

Monitors
of
Australia

Lizards
of
Australia

Lizards
of The World

AUSTRALIAN MONITOR SPECIES LISTS BY STATE OR TERRITORY

Monitors of South Australia

MONITOR LIZARDS Goannas Varanids Varanidae NSW

Queensland MONITOR LIZARDS Goannas Varanids Varanidae

NORTHERN TERRITORY MONITOR LIZARDS Goannas Varanids Varanidae

WESTERN AUSTRALIA MONITOR LIZARDS Goannas Varanids Varanidae

Monitors of Victoria - Goannas Varanids Varanidae

ACT MONITOR LIZARDS Goannas Varanids Varanidae

Monitors
of South
Australia

Monitors
of
NSW

Monitors
of
Qld

Monitors
of
NT

Monitors
of
WA

Monitors
of
Victoria

Monitors
of the
ACT


AUSTRALIAN REPTILE SPECIES LISTS BY STATE OR TERRITORY

Reptiles of South Australia
REPTILES OF VICTORIA
 REPTILES OF NSW REPTILES OF QUEENSLAND REPTILES OF NORTHERN TERRITORY REPTILES OF Western Australia Reptiles of the ACT(Canberra)

Reptiles of South Australia

Reptiles
of
Victoria

Reptiles
of
NSW

Reptiles
of
Qld

Reptiles
of
NT

Reptiles
of
WA

Reptiles
of the
ACT

Reptiles of Tasmania

MORE REPTILE SPECIES LISTS

Reptiles of Lord Howe Island

Reptiles of Christmas Island

Reptiles
of Cocos Keeling Islands

Reptiles of Norfolk Island

Reptiles of Australia

Selection of Australian Frogs

Reptiles of the World

Amphibians of the World

Reptiles
of
Australia

Frogs
of
Australia

Reptiles
of
The World

Amphibians of the
World





About John Fowler | John Hollister (deceased 2023) | Report Faulty Link | Report an Error

Contact John Fowler Author of the Australian Herpetology Website

©2025 John Fowler, Rachel Barnes and the late John Hollister. All rights reserved.
Reproduction or re-use of information or materials from this web site is strictly prohibited and against international law.
(NOTE:- No permission is needed to link to this web page)

Note Content (includes photos) by other contributors (See credits) cannot be used without their permission

Updated December 2, 2025


This site is supported by Temu, Depositphotos, Pi, CryptoTab Browser, and Coinbase

ANY CONTRIBUTION APPRECIATED

*
#
&
@