Pete Platypus is a cute soft toy who became a member of the Years 1, 2 and 3 class at HILLVIEW State School in August 1996. Everyone really loves him and enjoyed reading to him and sharing their desk with him. He was selected as a representative of our class to travel around the world in a post pack to visit Year 3 and 4 at WICKHAM MARKET Primary School in Wickham Market, Suffolk, England.

We exchanged email letters learning about our schools and our classes and we even received some photos of some of the class through email which was wonderful.

It took a long time to prepare and collect all the things that we wanted to send with Pete. Here is what we sent. A class photo with clear names, a photo album of some things we had done this year, a dairy to record what Pete does and sees, his passport, a booklet containing our research about Australian animals and plants, a platypus puzzle to make, a pamphlet about our area including a map and some little Austalian flags as presents and Pete of course.Finally on the 29 October after a big hug from everyone we packed up everthing in a Kitbag and sent it airmail to his new class in the United Kingdom.

Everyone was sad. The next day we sent an email letter to say that Pete was on his way. There was much excitment when we recieved an email to say that he had arrived and a few days later another email from our travel buddy PETE.

PETE

Hi, I'm Pete Platypus. I'm a soft small cuddly grey platypus with a black bill. I spent just over a year at Wickham Market School. I was so homesick. I was very pleased when they remembered to send me home. I am enjoying seeing my classmates and visiting overnight. Everyone wants to take me home! Soon I will travel overseas again.

Love Pete xxx

My friend Bibi the Bilby went to Springfield Junior Convent in Wynberg, South Africa on the 9 April 1998.

THE PLATYPUS

The platypus is a mammal. It lays eggs. Platypuses dig their own burrows in creek banks. They have webbed feet. They have a bill like a duck. The mother platypus lays two or three eggs at a time. These eggs hatch after about ten days. When the babies are born they feed on milk which they lap from the fur on their's stomach.

Year 2