An Australian council is under investigation after locals claimed its contractors destroyed an important riverside feature that could have huge ramifications for the town that surrounds it. Local woman Anne Gilles describes them as their "pride and joy", boasting they live right near the centre of the town. Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement Advertisement"Without the platypus, we're just another small town in Tasmania competing for a handful of tourist dollars," she told Yahoo News. ContactPlatypus are beloved by locals living in Deloraine (Joy Kachina Photography)Gilles has been monitoring platypus for the Tasmanian Platypus Conservation Group and the Australian Platypus Conservancy. Wildlife photographer furious at councilLocal photographer Joy Kachina claims the burrow was located right in the centre of where the works occurred.