WATER dragons aren't quite as cuddly as koalas, but they're still a true blue Aussie icon.

The Tweed Shire is host to large numbers of these resilient reptiles and you may have seen the spiny creatures in your garden.

This little fellow in the picture has affectionately been named Geoffrey by one of the journalists here at My Daily News, who noticed him rattling at the screen door for a taste of Sunday's breakfast.

But Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary's Dr Andrew Hill warns that despite "taming up pretty well", the lizards should probably be left to their own devices.

"The rain and heat has brought them out," he said.

"The ones around the sanctuary here congregate around people with food.

"Our stance is that people shouldn't feed wildlife.

"It dilutes down their diet.

"It also encourages them to come up and rely on us.

"If this happens they don't go through their natural hunting routine."

Dr Hill said that while feeding the relatively friendly fellas may be tempting, it's probably best to leave them to their diet of worms, bugs and small reptiles.

He also provided another interesting fact.

"You may see a few about that have two or three tails," he told My Daily News.

"When the tails get destroyed they don't drop off, they grow another one made of cartilage.

"They are just really well adapted to the Australian environment.

"They're tough guys."