Living in a city with around 250,000 people, you don’t necessarily think you’re going to be existing alongside a population of platypus in numerous creek lines that run in and around the city. But here in Nipaluna/Hobart, that’s exactly the case. Over the years I’ve got used to seeing this gloriously unique and strange creature while playing with my kid in the local park that borders our local rivulet. But it wasn’t until I met local platypus enthusiast Pete Walsh and watched the ABC documentary he features, “Platypus Guardian” that I really tuned in, and I haven’t tuned out since. These animals ARE AMAZING and we’re beyond lucky to share the same neighbourhood with them.

Pete founded Hobart Rivulet Platypus (HRP) who have a motto of “translating caring into action”. A big part of their work is to monitor nipaluna/Hobart’s urban platypus population to protect and conserve. In addition to spending many hours per week monitoring Hobart’s waterways first hand, they also operate Platycam, a 24/7 network of trail cameras.As a direct result of Pete’s work, there’s been a massive increase in interest and understanding around our local platypus population. Each time I ride my bike along the track that borders the rivulet you always see groups of people trying to spot one.

A visible sign that there’s a growing connection with people and place – which I love. I encourage you to check out HRP and support them where you can.

Anyway, long story short, I approached Pete and said, “hey Pete, I love your work.” And then I said, “I reckon we need a platypus party,” he said yes. And so we joined forced with Hobart Rivulet Platypus to hold the world’s first* Platypus Party! The Party opened with our Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds saying a few words and introducing Palawa man, Linton Burgess and his son Cade who welcomed us to Country, ,musicians,

We had the best of the best have info stalls and workshops with John Gooderham talking/showing waterbugs and healthy waterways, Dr Luke Gregory from Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary talking wildlife care and Rob Armstrong from City of Hobart running the Bush Adventure Walks. While this was all happening we had live music from Pep Talk, Naomi Keyte, Isaac Gee Band and Javier Merrill’s band.

Then there was local legends Jess and Tom who kindly volunteered to lino print platypus prints onto people’s t-shirts that they bought from home. They proceeded to get SWAMPED for the whole party with many dozens of patient folks leaving with improved threads! Between them and the free face painting (but only on platypus images :-)) by Jen from Glitter Artzy Face Painting, people were looking super fine!

It’s events like The Platypus Party that remind us to take a moment to appreciate where we live and to strengthen our ties to people and place. A lot of us who live in Nipaluna/Hobart and more broadly Lutruwita/Tasmania do so because of the incredible natural beauty. Caring for the place we call home is essential if we’re to ensure that it can continue to thrive for future generations of both platypus and humans.

After all, just like platypus – us humans are very much part Nature, all we have to do is remember that and live like it matters. Because it does.

*Look, we haven’t fact checked that, but feel fairly confident we can claim it :-).

Thanks to the City of Hobart for supporting this event through their Urban Sustainability grant program.