The cryptic native aquatic rodent rakali (Hydromys chrysogaster) is a nationally protected species. They can be found near fresh or brackish permanent waterbodies or protected coastal beaches. While they have a widespread distribution throughout Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia, they have suffered localised declines particularly in south-western Western Australia due to a range of factors including habitat loss and degradation, marron fishing, climate change and introduced predators. A rakali survey in 2014-15 highlighted the importance of continued monitoring of this species, however no widespread monitoring has been conducted since. This project aims to produce protocols to allow the distribution of rakali in the SW of Western Australia, as well as a preferred food source, Carter's Freshwater mussel (Westralunio carteri), to be better understood using eDNA techniques as an alternative to traditional visual survey methods which are difficult due to the ecology of the species. In collaboration with the Western Australian Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and University of Western Australia, water samples are being collected from water bodies around south-western Australia. Samples are primarily being collected at sites from an existing river monitoring network so that information about the site can be used to understand the factors which may make a site unsuitable for rakali. To date, species specific primers for both rakali and Carter’s mussel have been developed and initial sampling from a number of rivers have taken place.