Hobart’s ‘platypus guardian’ Pete Walsh, is the driving force behind a community campaign to protect the platypus population that lives in the Hobart Rivulet.
Pete is a keen photographer and nature lover, and his fascination with the local platypuses revealed the negative effect that human activities were having on the population, prompting him to take action.
As a result, he founded Hobart Rivulet Platypus, a community group dedicated to the protection of the platypus population by raising awareness about the impact of urban expansion. Through his campaigning, Pete has mobilised the local community to clean up the waterway and regenerate native flora along the banks.
Pete has also contributed new insights into platypus behaviour and generously shares his knowledge with the public. His story highlights how an individual can inspire a community to take action to protect native species, not just in the wild, but in populated areas too.