A huge, interconnected concrete chamber has been installed eight metres underground just below the tip to trap litter before it can escape into the Hobart Rivulet.
Called a gross pollutant trap, it is a game changer for protecting our platypus from hair ties and other rubbish that can entangle and even kill these incredible creatures.
It will also help prevent polluting sediment from entering the rivulet, creating a healthier waterway and a cleaner environment for the waterbugs platypus feed on.
The $500,000 project is fully funded by the City of Hobart and is a response to a powerful community campaign to better protect the health of the waterway and aquatic ecosystem from litter.
A platypus on the Hobart Rivulet. Photo: @hobartrivuletplatypus
Platypus guardian
Pete Walsh, star of the acclaimed documentary The Platypus Guardian, has advocated for the trap for years, and is thrilled it is finally in place.
"This is a massive piece of infrastructure,” he said.
“It will catch a lot of the litter that in the past has gone directly into the Hobart Rivulet.
"The level of ownership of the Hobart Rivulet, from the local community all the way through to the council, is something we can all be proud of.”
Final pieces of the gross pollutant trap are carefully lowered into place.
Huge project for our team
This project has been one of the largest, most challenging and rewarding projects the City of Hobart’s construction team has worked on in decades.
The gross pollutant trap is made up of three cylinders and one diversion chamber, weighing in collectively at just under 45 tonnes, and capable of holding nearly 10 cubic metres of litter, far in excess of the existing downstream “sock”, which has a tenth of the capacity.
The new trap can trap much smaller litter particles - down to just 1 millimetre in size - as well as sediment and hydrocarbons.
The old 'sock' struggling to stop litter entering the Hobart Rivulet after heavy rainfall.
Strong community voices
Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds praised the local community and platypus guardian Pete Walsh for their passion and commitment to better protect our platypus and the Hobart Rivulet from pollution.
"The installation of this gigantic underground litter trap is a game changer for the health of the Hobart Rivulet, the platypus that live in this waterway and the people that live along it,” the Lord Mayor said.
"It's the result of strong community voices calling for better protection for our platypus from litter such as hair ties and string, which can be deadly for our platypus.
"It's also the result of the tireless work of Pete Walsh, Hobart's very own platypus guardian, who has dedicated every waking hour to highlighting the threats facing our platypus and helping us better understand this mysterious creature.”
Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds, Pete Walsh and Councillor Ben Lohberger.