The platypus has intrigued animal lovers and scientists from all over the world and no one is more enchanted than Neil Andison who had a “platypus epiphany” in 2012. This was the door that opened when another one closed, when in 2020 at the age of 62, he found himself without a job and very little prospect of getting one. At that time, Neil had been photographing platypus in his local creek for nearly a decade and learning as much as he could of this incredible and uniquely Australian monotreme and the environment that supports its existence. What started as a hobby in 2012, by 2020, had become his passion, one that led to the birth of “Platypus Whispers”. A friend suggested that Neil share his passion by running walking tours and while doing so, share his knowledge of not just the platypus, but also the myriads of other animals and plants that make up our local environment. Since inception, Neil has been honoured to share his passion with people from all walks of life and many different countries around the world.
At this Friday Forum, Neil will describe the evolution of the platypus, and some of the extraordinary differences between the platypus and mammals in general. He will share his observational understandings of platypus behaviour, his identification process of individual animals and the environment in which it thrives. Join like-minded people in considering what we can do to ensure the longevity of these incredibly unique animals and all other species that call our fresh waterways home.
Everyone is welcome at our Friday Forum on March 14 at the Noosa Parks Association Environment Centre, 5 Wallace Drive, Noosaville which starts at 10:30am with morning tea available from 10-10.25am. Entry is $5 by ‘tap & go’ at the door which includes morning tea/coffee.
Join the bird observers at 8.30am in the carpark for interpretive birding.
For more information, visit www.noosaparks.org.au
