Discover the hidden world of Hobart’s platypus

Published on 12 August 2024

Did you know platypus spend 12-14 hours a day searching for food, diving between 1000 and 2000 times daily in pursuit of water bugs, larvae, worms and yabbies?

Now, thanks to a collaboration between the City of Hobart, “Platypus” Pete Walsh and the Beaker Street Festival, you can explore the world of these unique creatures through a new self-guided tour along the Hobart Rivulet.

Although the festival’s Platypus Walk quickly sold out, the new informative signage ensures everyone can enjoy their own guided experience along the waterway.

The four signs — “Platypus Watching: How to Spot a Platty,” “Protect Our Platypus: A Community Effort,” “Platypus Habitat: The Aquatic Life,” and “One Of A Kind: Bird-like, Duck-like” — feature illustrations by children from South Hobart Primary School, making the tour engaging and educational for all ages.

Improving the health of the city’s rivulets is a major focus for the City of Hobart’s waterways team and the local Hobart Rivulet Bushcare group, as demonstrated by the City's first State of Our Rivulet’s report, providing a benchmark for the ecological health of Hobart's four major rivulets.

The City is about to start work on a ground-breaking willow removal project, a multi-year initiative aimed at removing invasive crack willows from local waterways and replacing them with native trees, plants and shrubs.

And a new Gross Pollutant Trap on the McRobies Gully stormwater line funded by the City of Hobart, will more effectively capture litter, sediment, and hydrocarbons before they enter the Hobart Rivulet, greatly improving water quality.

The City of Hobart invites everyone to explore the Hobart Rivulet and learn about its most famous inhabitant.

Quotes to be attributable to Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds:

"This self-guided tour allows both locals and visitors to discover the natural wonders of the Hobart Rivulet.

“By learning how to spot and care for platypus, we can all contribute to the preservation of this iconic species."

Quotes to be attributed to Hobart City Water Portfolio Chair Cr Ben Lohberger:

"The self-guided platypus tour is part of a broader effort to enhance the health of the Hobart Rivulet.

“Our willow removal project and the upcoming McRobies Gross Pollutant Trap are just two examples of how we're working to protect our waterways and native wildlife.

"Our teams have also increased efforts to manage litter in the McRobies and Hobart Rivulet areas, especially before and after rainfall and wind events.

"While there is still work to be done, we've already seen a noticeable reduction in litter loads after the most recent event."

Quotes to be attributed to platypus expert “Platypus” Pete Walsh:

“Education is the cornerstone of conservation.

“These signs foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of the platypus and its habitat, empowering people to become its champions.”

Picture: South Hobart Primary School students who did illustrations for the self-guided platypus tour signage.