History

Platypus Group was started in 1988 by myself, Ben Doyle-Cox whilst deciding on which career path my army life would take me, we employ ex soldiers as well as reservists for that understanding of end user requirements.

From working in a retail outdoors store from 1986, most of my mates from high school had joined up either general entry or through officer streams, they would come and ask me to source things like Nomex gloves, Jungle boots, US BDUs, Brit SAS Smocks etc, then i had guys asking for pack mods, kepis, wide brim bush hats, i employed a couple of ex Para Riggers from there garage and started working on adding hexi pouches to canteen covers, making 4 Mag support pouches, holster, belts, bags it just grew.

At first we operated from a spare bedroom / home office and opened a small retail store right opposite Flinders St Station Melbourne as we wanted to be easy for soldiers to get to us if transiting through.

From there we moved to little Bourke st , in the heart of the city [ 100 mt from the GPO in Central Melbourne], we had 2 storeys to start and leased other warehousing nearby for the overflow of stock and increasing amount of sewing machines.

We continually strived to innovate and bring new products to our range as well as retailed all the World's best gear

1988 Platypus Outdoors established importing US Jungle Boots, Nomex Flight Gloves, US BDUs , British and Custom Webbing, bought first sewing machines to make Kepis ,4 Mag Support pouches, holsters, ½ Zip Micro Fleece, Canteen cover with Hexi Pouch, Headover releases Ran from St Kilda Offices and supplied local Reserve and Police Special Units. 1992 Degraves St Lease, first retail outlet Danner Footwear. 1993 Opened the second Flag Ship Store in Little Bourke Sts Outdoor Precinct 1996 PLAT A TAC brand launched to separate Military and Police Lines from Adventure, Expedition lines of Platypus Outdoors. Various chest rigs, pouches, LBV96 BIVI Bags and packs 1998 Swimmer Vest release LBV98 release Peace Keeper Chest Rig release 1999 SPUR [Special Parachute Unit Rucksack] developed for 3RAR Released after shortfall of 72 Hr patrol pack realized from Timor deployment. 2000 Modular ensembles developed, Pouches and various Vests and Chest Rigs 2001 Half Zip purchased in bulk for Afghan deployment 2002 IRAQ and CT contracts for Defence 2004 Built Massive new HQ, Warehouse, showroom and factory And opened Platypus Outdoors Retail and PLAT A TAC Retail Store Yates Climbing Agency Krill Lamps Agency TDI Arms Agency 2005 SureFire Agency Blue Gun Agency ESS Goggles Agency Burrow Sleeping Bags Release 2006 More Exports to Saudi and UK SUP, FUP and CAM Pouches released CLUCAS MOE Distributor TACCOM NZ Agent for PLATATAC MEOP PACK released Badger Cut Away Armour Patented Land Warfare Conference 2007 SNUGPAK Exclusive Distributor SPUR MSM Pack released 2008 BLACKHAWK  Exclusive  Distributor Bates Footwear Exclusive  Distributor Benchmade Exclusive Distributor Bladetech Exclusive Distributor Partnership with Tote Armour Land Warfare Conference 2009 Delta Pack MAC Backpack SHER POUCH AVALON INTERNATIONAL AIR SHOW [AWARD FOR BEST STAND] NITE WATCHES UK Nanosphere Licence

And continued Growth..