Rainforest Scuba With The Duck Billed Platypus

Intrepid rainforests aren’t always what springs to mind when you think of Australia, but transport yourself to Queensland and you’ll come face to face with some of the most luscious jungle on the planet.

One thing that many do travel to Australia for is diving, especially as the coast of Australia plays host to two of the world’s largest coral reefs – The Great Barrier Reef and the lesser famous, Ningaloo reef off of the coast of Western Australia. But if you’re looking for an entirely different diving experience to the postcard perfect coral reef diving experiences then read on…

Queensland is one of the most spectacular places you can visit in Australia, and now you can experience the very best of the rainforest by diving in the crystal clear waters and seeking out the allusive duck billed platypus. “It’s just different to the coral dives you do in Australia – it’s just different in the middle of the bush, you have a rock pool and it’s just fantastic to dive with the turtles and fish. It’s a special experience,” according to Hendrik Tietze from Germany. Swimming in the crystal clear waters also offers the perfect chance to cool down from the oppressive heat during the summer months.

You can take part in this amazing underwater experience in Finch Hatton Gorge, which located just outside of Finch Hatton, between Mackay and the Eungella National Park. It’s here that you may be lucky enough to see Australia’s most secretive resident. The platypus – as most may know, is the world’s only egg-laying mammal, and has fascinated researchers and animal lovers since its discovery – owing to its bizarre appearance combining a duck’s bill, webbed feet and it’s beaver-like tail.

Having discovered this hot spot for platypus’ Dr Grant of the University of New South Wales who has written numerous books and journals on the creatures explains, “This area is particularly special because of its orientation within the rainforest and it’s an area where you can get in dive and swim with the platypus, that doesn’t happen very often. Certainly it hasn’t happened to me in the 40 years that I’ve been working. This has been on my bucket list since I heard about it,” says Dr Grant.

Much like whale watching, it can never be guaranteed that you will spot the creature you’re looking for, but the chances are higher at this specific location, “It’s almost guaranteed you’ll see a platypus at dusk and at dawn every single day. And during the mating season, it’s not uncommon to see them in the middle of the day also. So it’s a pretty special place,” says Tina Ball a Senior Conversation Officer from Queensland National Parks and Wildlife.

It’s not just duck billed platypus that you can see whilst visiting Finch Hatton Gorge, you’ll also come face to face with fish and turtles – and maybe a water monitor lizard basking by the water, if you’re lucky. Finch Hatton Cross also plays home to other wildlife such as; bush turkeys, brolgas, the azure kingfisher, the eungella honeyeater, wallabies, possums, flying foxes and even the brooding frog and orange sided skink. So what are you waiting for? Get yourself over to Queensland and get ready for the underwater wilderness adventure of a lifetime.

Visit www.rainforestscuba.com for more information on Rainforest scuba diving in search of the duck billed platypus.