In Maleny, local conservation advocates are renewing calls for Queensland to ban the use of enclosed yabby traps blamed for drowning platypuses and other native wildlife in nearby creeks.
Growing Concern in Maleny
Maleny residents and wildlife advocates are urging action against opera house traps — collapsible nets designed for catching yabbies but known to trap and drown air-breathing species such as platypuses, turtles, rakali, and waterbirds. The traps remain legal in Queensland, despite being banned or restricted in every other Australian state and territory.
Threat to Obi Obi Creek Wildlife
Obi Obi Creek, a key platypus habitat in Maleny, continues to face risks from discarded or unattended traps. Platypuses are a familiar sight in the area and an important part of Maleny’s natural identity. Conservation guides have reported retrieving these traps from the creek, describing them as major hazards to aquatic wildlife.
How the Traps Cause Harm
When platypuses dive underwater to hunt for yabbies, they rely on their bills’ electroreceptors to detect prey. The movements from bait or trapped crustaceans inside the nets attract them. Once inside, they cannot reach the surface to breathe and eventually drown. In some cases, the carcasses lure more yabbies — and more platypuses — repeating the fatal cycle.
Findings from National Studies
Research published in Australian Mammalogy in 2025 examined more than 400 recorded platypus deaths since 1989, identifying enclosed nets and crustacean traps as a leading cause. Other risks included predation, fishing gear entanglement, vehicle strikes, and extreme weather. The study concluded that the use of such traps should be banned wherever platypuses are present.
Bans in Other States
Victoria banned opera house traps in 2019 following multiple platypus deaths in Labertouche Creek. New South Wales introduced a full ban on 30 April 2021, replacing them with open-top, eco-friendly nets that allow non-target species to escape. These safer alternatives are now required across all NSW waters, including border regions.
Queensland Review and Delays
In Queensland, a consultation report released in March 2025 by the Freshwater Working Group found 65 per cent of participants supported a total ban, with a further 30 per cent favouring a phase-out by mid-2025. That timeline has since passed, and no new date for implementation has been announced. Conservation experts say the ongoing delay prolongs the threat to native species.
Underreported Deaths and Public Awareness
Wildlife Queensland has noted that the full scale of platypus deaths from traps is unknown because incidents often go unreported. Many fishers are reluctant to admit when other animals drown in their nets. The platypus remains listed as near threatened on the IUCN Red List, with a 2020 national assessment recommending it be upgraded to threatened status due to population declines in all states.
Protecting Maleny’s Creeks
For Maleny’s residents, the issue is both environmental and local. The platypus is an enduring symbol of the region’s creeks and tourism identity. Advocates continue to push for Queensland to follow other states in banning opera house traps, aiming to protect Maleny’s waterways and preserve the area’s unique wildlife for future generations.
Published 12-Oct-2025