A new study found platypuses in 90 Moreton Bay creek sites, showing wider distribution than before.

A new environmental DNA study in Moreton Bay, Queensland, found platypuses at 90 creek sites—more than the previous year’s 71—indicating a broader distribution than previously known. Using water samples to detect genetic traces, researchers monitored over 250 sites across 11 councils, identifying platypuses, rakali, turtles, lungfish, frogs, endangered Mary River cod, and microorganisms. Led by Dr. Tamielle Brunt and Resilient Rivers South-East Queensland, the project, funded by regional, state, and federal governments, offers a faster, less invasive way to assess waterway health and guide conservation. While the data provides a crucial baseline, scientists say more sampling is needed to fully understand ecosystem dynamics and evaluate restoration success.