{"id":821691,"date":"2026-07-24T21:45:18","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T21:45:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/821691\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T21:45:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T21:45:18","slug":"council-accused-of-destroying-pride-and-joy-of-sleepy-aussie-town","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/821691\/","title":{"rendered":"Council accused of destroying ‘pride and joy’ of sleepy Aussie town"},"content":{"rendered":"

An Australian council<\/a> is under investigation after locals claimed its contractors destroyed an important riverside feature that could have huge ramifications for the town that surrounds it.<\/p>\n

Platypus<\/a> are a major tourist drawcard for Deloraine,<\/a> which sits on the Meander River, around 50km west of Launceston.<\/p>\n

Local woman Anne Gilles describes them as their “pride and joy”, boasting they live right near the centre of the town.<\/p>\n

“Without the platypus, we’re just another small town in Tasmania<\/a> competing for a handful of tourist dollars,” she told Yahoo News.<\/p>\n

Do you know more about this story? Contact newsroomau@yahoonews.com<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Close-up<\/p>\n

Platypus are beloved by locals living in Deloraine<\/p>\n

(Joy Kachina Photography)<\/p>\n

Gilles has been monitoring platypus<\/a> for the Tasmanian Platypus Conservation Group and the Australian Platypus Conservancy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She had documented a burrow on the edge of the river where the Meander Valley Council was about to undertake stabilisation works along the bank.<\/p>\n

While she says the council was notified about the burrow’s location, images supplied to Yahoo indicate its reported location was crushed by works this week.<\/p>\n

“It’s very disappointing, I really thought the council understood how important the platypus are,” Gilles said.<\/p>\n

Council responds to allegations it destroyed the burrow<\/p>\n

The state environment department (NRE-Tas) confirmed the matter is under active investigation.<\/p>\n

Meander Valley Council appears less than convinced that its works destroyed a burrow.<\/p>\n

Mayor Wayne Johnston said in a statement that council has “received allegations regarding possible disturbance of platypus habitat” and that it is “currently reviewing the matter”.<\/p>\n

“At this stage council has not reached any conclusions regarding whether a platypus den was present within the works area or whether any disturbance occurred,” he added.<\/p>\n

Wildlife photographer furious at council<\/p>\n

Local photographer Joy Kachina claims the burrow was located right in the centre of where the works occurred.<\/p>\n

The situation has left her “furious”\u00a0<\/p>\n

“The burrow was right there on that riverbank, it’s completely collapsed,” she said.<\/p>\n

\"Deloraine<\/p>\n

Platypus are a major drawcard for visitors to Deloraine.<\/p>\n

(Getty)Platypus disappearing from Australian rivers<\/p>\n

Gilles said she’s searched the area for the platypus, but hasn’t been able to find it.<\/p>\n

If a platypus were inside a burrow beneath the earthworks, then it would have been either crushed or died from the vibrations above.<\/p>\n

As platypus have multiple burrows, it’s possible it was elsewhere at the time of the works, but because of the disturbance, there’s little chance it will ever return to the site.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/p>\n

The species is notoriously elusive and hard to count. The current Australian population is estimated to be somewhere between 30,000 and 300,000 individuals.<\/p>\n

But what is known is that the species is rapidly disappearing due to habitat disturbance, pollution, extreme weather caused by climate change, and predation from invasive species.<\/p>\n

“Platypus are facing a silent extinction,” Gilles said.<\/p>\n

“People just wake up one day and go, Oh, we used to have platypus in this river, but we never see them now.”<\/p>\n

You can also follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a> and YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n