Daroo the Platypus

When the old people sat around their campfire, they would tell the dreamtime story of the platypus.

"Once there was a water rat named Bilargun, while he was out hunting one day, he saw Gagar the duck, and decided that he wanted her as his wife. He silently swam underneath the water and grabbed her legs, and then took her back to his hole in the bank; which was his home. There he made her very comfortable and brought her food every day. They were very happy. Bilargun told Gagar that if ever she was in danger, to hit her tail on the water as a warning signal. After some time, Gagar the duck had some babies, and do you know, they had Gagar the duck’s bill and webbed feet, and Bilargun the water rat's fur coat and a flat tail."

To this day the baby's ancestors can still be seen in the creeks and rivers, using the same warning signal. They are known as the 'Platypus'.

Wiradjuri Aboriginal name for Platypus is "Daroo"