Genetic mutations resulting in abnormal colouration occur across all vertebrate groups but are considered rare, especially in mammals. Hypo-pigmentary conditions can be separated into albinism, leucism and piebaldism. The impact of colour variation on an animal’s risk of predation and its ability to blend with its surroundings is widely recognised. We report our observations of a white platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) in a tributary of the Gwydir River in the upper reaches of the Murray Darling Basin, New South Wales, Australia. We describe our observations in the context of historical platypus records since 1835.