La Trobe University Visual arts graduate Laura van der Spek created the hand moulded slab and coil crocodile tail in the university's ceramics work space as a "light-hearted and not at all serious" hoax.

Despite the elaborate hoax Mrs van der Spek insisted that she was not a prankster at heart and just liked making creatures.

"I'm not very good at pranks which is why this (was) probably the worst kept secret in Bendigo because I told pretty much all of my friends and family," she said.

"I'm just hoping people get a kick out of it."

She said the sculpture had taken her three months to complete but the project had been on her to do list for a while.

"When I decided what I wanted to do on the island I had been thinking about it for about two years, trying to think what I wanted to put there," she said.

"I spent a lot of time at Lake Weeroona growing up and it's just such a beautiful place, as an artist I felt compelled to give something back to the environment I live in."

Mrs van der Spek thanked the City of Greater Bendigo council and the La Trobe University arts department for their full support for the project.

"Bendigo city council has given me enough money to cover my materials for this project and La Trobe uni has been kind enough to let me use their studio space for free," she said.

"The fact that other people thought it was funny was pretty nice."

Mrs van der Spek said she wouldn't be resting on her laurels, with plans to start an arts collective in Bendigo already under way.

"It's a group of artists in Bendigo who are looking for a home, for all the artists who are finished at La Trobe and BRIT to come together in a community environment," she said.

And as for next April?

"I'll probably have something in mind for next year but I'll mull that one over," she said.

Source: Bendigo Advertiser   How the story developed.