This is just a guess as to what this animal might be. There were a pair of them, about 5m apart, snuffling around on the grass next to the bike track between Speers Point and Warners Bay, Lake Macquarie. When disturbed, they both disappeared into rocks and long grass next to the track
Sighting and photos (c) myoung.
Field Notes - Small snake perhaps 50 cm long, amongst rocks, open eucalypt woodland. Black head marking covering entire head from snout to nape, looks like a Dwyer's Snake, Parasuta dwyeri.
I must have looked at hundreds of huntsman pics tonight… not having any luck.
Possibly:
Giant huntsman
Brown huntsman
Beautiful badge huntsman
Portacosa cinerea
Isopeda vasta
Golden huntsman
Neosparassus rutilus
Distinguishing features are dark fangs,
Unpatterned brown abdomen.
Dark brown and very long thin legs
Molted body pattern golden and dark brown
Dark black visible eyes on the front of the head.
This platypus moved downstream in Jerrabomberra Creek from the silt trap at 15:45 towards the lake (Observation 59261376). Observed here next to a bird hide at 17:45.