The platypus feeds almost exclusively on benthic macroinvertebrates, yet no attempt has been made to link its feeding and energy demands with the productivity of its benthic macroinvertebrate prey. We estimated macroinvertebrate production and recorded platypus diet in two pools of the upper Shoalhaven River, NSW. Cheek pouch samples were taken from platypuses in 2009 and benthic samples in 2009 and 2011. Specimens from both types of samples were identified to family or species and mean annual densities calculated from the benthic samples. Production was estimated using the size frequency technique. Previous estimates of field metabolic demand (FMD) of the platypus enabled calculation of the number that could be supported by a given level of production. Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera and Chironomidae were the most numerous of 6 major groups in both the cheek pouches and the benthic samples. Three other groups (Odonata, Coleoptera, Sphaeriidae) were much less abundant in the benthos, but Odonata were common in the cheek pouches. In both years the Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera and Chironomidae had levels of production that were an order of magnitude higher than those of the three other groups. Total macroinvertebrate production varied from 4 (in 2009) to 12 (in 2011) g DW m-2yr-1. Based on estimated FMD, these levels of production were sufficient to support 6 -13 platypuses in 2009 and 20-40 in 2011 along a 1.8km reach of the river. Despite catchment erosion and removal of riparian vegetation in the Shoalhaven catchment, productive foraging habitat for the platypus still remained.