I absolutely love seeing new animals but only in the wild. It means there are heaps of animals I will probably never see but the magic of seeing them more than makes up for it in my opinion. I’ve lived in Australia since 2022 and one animal that has been high on my list to see is a platypus.
However, they are quite elusive. I missed them in Tasmania due to time of year but was lucky enough to see one in Victoria, just outside of Melbourne. Please forgive the lack of images!
Where are the best places to see platypus in the wild?
The three spots that were on my list were:
- Warrawee Reserve, Latrobe, Tasmania – known as the platypus capital of the world
- Lake Elizabeth, Victoria – you can paddle with the platpus on a tour with Otway Eco Tours
- Various locations on the Yarra River, Victoria
They are also prevalent in certain areas of the ACT who run platypus month events each August that you can get involved in: https://www.act.waterwatch.org.au/programs/platypus-month
Where can you see a Platypus near Melbourne?
Finns Reserve in Templestowe Lower is a great spot for seeing platypus from my research, and where I was lucky enough to see one. I took public transport up to the reserve early in the morning and stood on the suspension bridge looking down river.
When chatting to some locals they said they had a pair nesting in the creek nearby and it was likely one of those we were looking at. As such, it’s worth keeping and eye on google maps and social media to see if one has been spotted around the time you want to go for a look.
Can you get there by public transport?
Yes! I was staying down in Malven which wasn’t ideal but I still managed it. I took the first tram of the day into the city then picked up a bus. The whole journey took around an hour as there was no traffic at that time. I’d recommend looking on the Transport Victoria website and Google Maps to plan your journey.
What time of year should I go?
I went at the end of September for my successful sighting – evidently August is the best month for Victoria, ACT and Tasmania with September a close second. This is because it is the start of the breeding season.
What time of day do they come out?
They are active at awn and dusk, but I had much more luck at dawn. I went to Finns Reserve one evening and didn’t see one. Two mornings late I went again and within 5 minutes one popped up. That’s nature for you!
For the successful sighting, sunrise was at 6.03. I arrived at around 6.15 and by my 6.18 I had seen a platypus.
Are they always there?
Nope! As I can attest to having been twice to Finns Reserve and once in Tasmania, they aren’t. Even if they’re around they may also not be visible. The right time of year will give you the best chance but if you really want to see one and are time limited, I’d recommend speaking to the team at Otway Eco Tours.
What kind of water do they like?
Platypus like freshwater but one thing I wasn’t clear on was if they like flat, still water or a bit more lively. The one I saw was clearly feeding and it was enjoying the more disturbed water which must have been throwing up more food for it.
Should I take anything with me?
I took a flask of hot chocolate as it was a fresh morning and my phone, but nothing else. A pair of binoculars would have been a good addition although I saw very well from my position. I was lucky that the platypus was close to the bridge where I stood. If you have a good camera, I’d recommend taking that too (as you’ll see from my terrible video!).