Being able to sit at close quarters and watch a platypus go about its business is something many aussies dream of. This elusive and desperately shy little critter is rarely seen, and even then typically only very briefly, early or late in the day along a watercourse… if you’re lucky.

So I couldn’t believe my eyes when I came across a platypus early this morning, working its way up and down a small cascade on the upper reaches of Mt Wellington, feeding I would say, all within what was literally an arms length. I barely took a breath during the entire encounter which lasted 20-30mins.