Free Platypus Walks on the Queanbeyan and Molonglo Rivers - Upper Murrumbidgee Waterwatch Platypus Month 2024

Upper Murrumbidgee Waterwatch Platypus walks - Free guided walks to look for platypus

Living in the ACT and surrounding region you might not know that we have several platypus populations in our local waterways. Platypus and Rakali are a top-level predator in our waterways and through monitoring their abundance, we can monitor our waterway health. You may not have seen one, but you've likely got a platypus living closer to you than you think. The Ngunnawal word for Platypus is Mulanggang. Mulanggang are a significant totem for Ngunnawal and their presence indicates healthy and abundant landscapes and waterways.

Late winter is the ideal time for spotting platypus as they spend more time feeding and the males are more active as they prepare for the breeding season. 

Given this, Upper Murrumbidgee Waterwatch is offering 4 free guided walks this August as part of its Platypus Month program. 2 walks on the Queanbeyan river and 2 walks on the Lower Molonglo River in Namarag Reserve. Walks are about 2km return and are accessible for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness.

About the walks

Platypus walks start at 8am and go for around an hour. You are then welcome to continue enjoying the river and keep a lookout for Platypus and Rakali. Bookings are essential. 

For the Queanbeyan Platypus Walks we will meet at the Queany the Platypus Statue at the end of Trinculo Pl in Queanbeyan.

The walks in Queanbeyan are being offered on Saturday the 3rd of August and Sunday the 25th of August.

Book a ticket today and join us for a crisp morning walk to spot these elusive creatures.

For the Lower Molonglo / Namarag Walks we will meet at the Namarag Reserve Carpark on Thancoupie Crescent in Whitlam.

The walks in Namarag are being offered on Sunday the 11th of August and Saturday the 17th of August.

Walks will include:

- A discussion of Platypus and Rakali in the Upper Murrumbidgee

- A spotting walk along the river to look for Platypus, which are particularly active at this time of year

- A Question and Answer session with local experts to answer your Platypus, Rakali and waterway questions

What to bring

- Warm clothes (jacket, beanie, etc)

- Sturdy Shoes

- Binoculars if you have them (but not essential)

Further Information

Visit https://www.act.waterwatch.org.au/programs/platypus-month to find out about other activities happening over Platypus Month. You can also see where Platypus and Rakali have been spotted previously on the Upper Murrumibdge Waterwatch ACT Region Platy and Ratty portal: https://bit.ly/PlatypusPortal