The wallaphant

You won't have seen many of these around. The Flat-Headed Wallaphant is, in fact, peculiar to Batemans Bay. It is agile, bounding along on its Wallaby-like hind legs, which it uses also, in conjunction with its trunk, for rooting around underground in search of the minerals that form its staple diet - sometimes in the form of rocks, as you can see. This one is a female, evident from the pouch in the top of its head. The wallaphant is believed to have evolved from the octopus, which could explain its remarkable ability to camouflage itself according to its surroundings. If you come upon one, listen carefully and you may hear its bark. I had intended to feature another strange Australian creature today, the Duck-Billed Platypus, but decided not to because you'd never have believed it was real.