It is found in various open woodland types, savannah and semi-arid and arid areas, and rainforest (e.g., Queensland Wet Tropics). It is also found in agricultural areas. The female lays a single egg, which hatches after about ten days (Augee 2008).

This species is widespread in Australia, including Tasmania and a number of offshore islands, and also occurs in south-eastern New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea) and the Markham valley. The subspecies Tachyglossus aculeatus multiaculeatus is endemic to Kangaroo Island, South Australia (Maxwell et al. 1996). The species has an altitudinal range of sea level to 1,675 m asl (New Guinea) and up to the highest peak in Australia.

This species is found in two protected areas on New Guinea and presumably is present in many protected areas in Australia. There is a need to monitor numbers of animals killed along selected sections of main tourist roads. Most probably there are adequate protected areas in Australia already in place for this species, however, in Papua New Guinea (where less than 2% of the land is protected) none of the protected areas are large enough (other than Crater Mountain Wildlife Reserve) to contain a viable population of this species (L. Salas pers. comm.).