The Axedale Platypus is a sculputre that sits alongside the Campaspe River on the Axedale Riverwalk. In 2013, the Axedale River Reserve was rejuvenated, and the platypus was an addition that was made at the time. The reason for choosing a platypus as the sculpture to depict Axedale, was because native playpus are known to inhabit thie Axedale section of the Campaspe River.

Victorian artist, Yvonne George was the artist selected to create a sculpture depicting “an exciting aerial view interpretation of a platypus, moving through and creating, rippled water movements” – axedale.com.au

Before the form of the statue was decided, the artist held an outdoor workshop at the River Reserve, with residents, who gave her their inpu, and contributed ideas towards the design of the statue.

The finished statue is made of steel and stands over two metres tall. If you are on the Axedale River Walk, which is abutts the Reserve, and forms part of the O’Keefe Rail Trail, you cannot miss the imposing presence of The Axedale Platypus.

Along with the installation of the Platypus structure, at the Axedale Riverwalk, there are now native plantings, new picnic tables and benches.

The Axedale Riverwalk is a beautiful and peaceful place to visit in any season, and while there, I never tire of looking at this sculpture. Unfortunately, I’ve never seen a platypus in the river, but I always look when walking or riding by.

From: The Riverine Herald, Saturday, 07 March 1908, Page 2

ROCHESTER.
PLATYPUS IN THE CAMPASPE
Friday. March 6

In yesterday’s “Bendigo Advertiser” a paragraph appeared, re the finding of a platypus at Axedale, and also stating that the animal is rarely found in Victoria. There are numbers of Ornithorinchi, in the Campaspe, in the neighborhood of Rochester, and on any evening, they can he seen disporting in the deep holes, by anyone who can keep quiet.

The rivers in Gippsland, notably the Morwell, Tyers, Tarwin, and the Traralgon Creek are alive with them. In the Morwell river a dozen can be seen at a time in one hole. There is also a goodly number in the Merri and Hopkins rivers at Warrnambool. The Gellibrand and Carlisle Rivers, in the Beech Forest are a favorite haunt. Dozens of streams, which the writer has visited, contain the animals, but they are generally to be found away from towns. – The platypus is far from being extinct in Victoria.

*Ornithorinchi – refers to Ornithorhynchus anatinus which is the species name of the platypus, sometimes called the duck billed platypus. The platypus is a semi aquatic, egg laying mammal.

Sources:
ROCHESTER. (1908, March 7). The Riverine Herald (Echuca, Vic. : Moama, NSW : 1869 – 1954; 1998 – 2002), p. 2. Retrieved February 24, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article114862518
wikipedia.org

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