A shingleback, in fact. One of the larger scincidae, they’re also known as “blue tongue lizards” or “blue tongue skinks” (guess why!), or the name I was taught as a kid, “bobtails”. This charmer was staring me down on a bike ride so I stopped for a photo op, I also have a short video somewhere of a territorial tussle between two of them.

They’re a reasonably common sight, often about a foot long, in this part of the world. I love them.