Patience has rewarded a Tasmanian filmmaker with some extraordinary footage of the notoriously shy platypus.

Max Moller has been trying to capture the species on film for seven years but had little usable footage to show for his effort.

But last month, while shooting with his assistant in bushland just outside Hobart, Mr Moller said a platypus wandered through his "set".

"We were filming platypus in the area when he saw something moving through the grass," he said.

"Thinking it was some huge lizard, we couldn't believe it when we saw this platypus walking between one creek to another."

After obtaining a meagre 30 seconds of footage from seven years of trying, Mr Moller and his assistant Damon Heather were suddenly overindulged.

"Filming platypus is one of the hardest tasks ever but sometimes the luck is on your side and, with the amazing job from my assistant, we have managed to film this animal for around five minutes," he said.

The animal is seen ambling across the grass before entering a nearby creek.

Mr Moller said scientists from the Natural History Museum in London had seen the footage and wanted to study it to learn more about the animal's movements.

Tasmania is Mr Moller's adopted home after leaving Chile more than a decade ago.

"Tasmania is number one for lifestyle, most beautiful landscape and natural history. I love it.

"I've worked in 52 different countries and it's the only place I call home."

Mr Moller said he planned to use the footage as part of a documentary.