It's not a visitor normally found at a waste facility but this echidna surprised Bundaberg Regional Council staff when it showed up at University Drive.
The prickly little character was discovered by a landfill attendant early yesterday morning.
The animal encounter happened just in the nick of time, with the echidna rescued from the path of an oncoming B-double truck.
After a quick photo shoot, the echidna was on its way again and out of harm's way.
Echidna facts
The short-beaked echidna is native to the Bundaberg Region.
According to wildlife.org.au, the spiky critter can live for up to 16 years in the wild, but usually less than 10 years.
Echidnas love to take shelter in a wide range of habitats and wherever there is a good amount of ants and termites to snack on.
An echidna's tongue is the perfect length for snapping up food, extending up to 17cm long.
Signs an echidna has been sniffing around your home include ant nests and termite mounds broken apart and half-moon-shaped hollows at the base of plants.
