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Richmond Mountain Frog (Philoria richmondensis)

The Richmond Mountain Frog is a small, highly restricted mountain frog of headwater seepages, bogs and streams in far north-eastern New South Wales. Breeding nests can occur in muddy seepages beside first and second order streams, so clearing, earthworks, sediment movement and changes to drainage can affect habitat directly. The species is listed as Endangered under Commonwealth and New South Wales legislation and is also an Asset of Intergenerational Significance.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Endangered.

New South Wales, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Endangered.

Breeding season

Richmond Mountain Frogs breed in far north-east New South Wales during the documented September to February survey period. The exact peak can vary between upland sites and years, especially with rainfall and stream saturation.

Breeding mode: Egg laying in small nests constructed by males in muddy seepages within headwater streams and bogs. Tadpoles develop entirely within the nest.

Clutch size: Not recorded.

Nest sites: Usually under rocks or logs, among mosses or root masses, or within clumps of Rainforest Spinach in saturated headwater habitat.

Incubation and tadpole development: Not recorded. Tadpoles require constant moisture and remain in the nest during development.

Age at maturity: Not recorded.

Breeding frequency: Not recorded. Breeding may be reduced or skipped during drought.

Timing can shift between regions and years, particularly after drought or substantial rainfall, so Endangered species controls should be applied conservatively and breeding habitat checked before any clearing or construction.

  • Breeding and calling in headwater seepages: Daylight surveys recorded breeding season activity from September to February, with calling linked to wet, saturated headwater habitat.
  • Egg nests and dependent tadpoles: Nests and developing tadpoles are expected during the breeding period and are highly sensitive to drying, sedimentation and disturbance.
  • Non-breeding shelter and foraging: Outside breeding, use of surrounding forest is poorly known, but related mountain frogs shelter under logs, in root masses, soil cavities, leaf litter and surface vegetation.
  • Rainfall and stream saturation response: Activity and occupancy can change between years, and breeding may be delayed or absent when headwater seepages are dry.
  • Highest clearing risk: For an Endangered species, avoid clearing and ground disturbance near headwater seepages from September to February where practicable, and use targeted ecological surveys and exclusion zones before works.

Identification: Appearance and size

The Richmond Mountain Frog is a small, ground-dwelling frog in the genus Philoria. It is difficult to detect outside the breeding period, so habitat inspection, careful listening and trained ecological surveys are needed on sites near suitable headwaters.

Adults are approximately 3 cm long. The species constructs small tunnels and nesting chambers in mud beside headwater seepages.

Do not rely on a quick visual search. Frogs may be concealed in saturated mud, moss, leaf litter, root masses or other damp ground cover.

Group: Amphibian, family Limnodynastidae.

Typical setting: Wet montane headwaters, seepages, bogs and associated rainforest or wet sclerophyll forest.

Identification: Calls and similar species

Calling activity is mainly detected during daylight surveys in the breeding season. Night calling is minimal, so a night-only frog survey may miss this species.

Other mountain frogs in the region include the Mountain Frog, Loveridge's Frog, Pugh's Mountain Frog, Sphagnum Frog and Mount Ballow Mountain Frog. These species can occur in similar upland landscapes and require careful identification by an experienced frog ecologist.

Identification: Field signs

Look for small mud tunnels or nesting chambers beside saturated headwater channels. Nests may be under rocks or logs, among mosses or root masses, or within clumps of Rainforest Spinach, Elatostema reticulatum.

Calling males may form small choruses along a stream. Counts of five or fewer males are common at occupied sites, although larger counts have been recorded.

  • Inspect the first expression of surface water and the wet margins of first and second order streams.
  • Check saturated leaf litter, mud, moss, root masses, logs and rocks without turning or removing cover unnecessarily.
  • Treat any frog, nest or suspected calling site as a potential protected breeding location until checked by a qualified ecologist.

Distribution: Australian range

The Richmond Mountain Frog has a small, fragmented distribution in far north-eastern New South Wales. It is a montane upland endemic and is not mapped as a naturally occurring species in any other Australian state or overseas country.

Known areas include Yabbra National Park in the west and the Richmond Range and Toonumbar uplands to the east. Surveyed areas have included Yabbra National Park, Richmond Range National Park, Bungboozle Flora Reserve, Murray Scrub Flora Reserve and Toonumbar National Park.

The species occurs within the Gondwana Rainforests region of northern New South Wales. Nearby Queensland records discussed for mountain frogs do not establish a Queensland range for the Richmond Mountain Frog.

  • New South Wales, far north-east.
  • Yabbra National Park.
  • Richmond Range and Toonumbar National Parks and connected uplands.

Distribution: What the range means for projects

A site outside a known occupied location can still contain suitable habitat. The species occupies only a small subset of potential headwater habitat, and populations are scattered and largely discrete.

Before clearing, road construction, drainage works or creek crossings, check current threatened species mapping and obtain advice from a suitably qualified ecologist. Give particular attention to high elevation headwaters connected to rainforest or wet sclerophyll forest.

  • Map all first and second order streams, seepages, bogs and drainage lines within and upslope of the work area.
  • Treat connected wet headwater habitat as potentially relevant even where frogs have not previously been recorded.
  • Record the location of any calling males, nests, eggs or tadpoles with accurate coordinates and photographs where this can be done without disturbance.

Habitat: Vegetation and landform

Look for the species in cool, wet montane habitat that remains saturated for long periods. Occupancy is associated with high stream saturation, elevation and intact headwater vegetation.

The species primarily uses rainforest and wet sclerophyll vegetation in montane uplands. It is associated with headwater drainage lines, bogs, seepages and small streams on mountain tops and ridges.

Suitable habitat may occur in rainforest or within 500 m of rainforest where mapped watercourses and their immediate surrounds retain high moisture.

Mapped potential habitat in one assessment area: 96.8 km².

Main habitat condition: Persistent moisture and saturated stream margins.

  • Rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest.
  • Montane uplands and high elevation headwaters.
  • First and second order streams, bogs, muddy seepages and saturated drainage lines.
  • Wet margins with moss, leaf litter, fallen timber, roots and deep humus.

Habitat: Features to inspect on site

Walk the full length of headwater drainage lines through the proposed disturbance area, including their upper ends and wet side seepages. Check areas where surface water first appears, as well as boggy ground that may not have a defined channel.

Retain the physical structure that holds moisture. Fallen timber, rocks, moss, root masses, saturated leaf litter and humus can provide nest or shelter microhabitat.

  • Do not assume a small or intermittent-looking channel has low habitat value.
  • Inspect below canopy openings where drying, evaporation and loss of ground cover may already be occurring.
  • Mark sediment sources, unstable banks, vehicle crossings, stock access and feral pig damage before works begin.

Habitat: Development planning

The species is Endangered under Commonwealth and New South Wales listings. It is also an Asset of Intergenerational Significance, so avoid impacts to occupied and high-quality potential habitat wherever practicable.

There is no single fixed clearing or construction buffer specified for this species. Set site-specific no-go areas and work controls around mapped headwaters, seepages, nests and occupied habitat with advice from the relevant authority and a qualified ecologist.

  • Keep plant, spoil, fuels and stockpiles out of seepages, bogs and stream margins.
  • Use clean water management that maintains natural seepage and avoids concentrating runoff into breeding habitat.
  • Schedule earthworks to minimise exposure of wet headwaters to sediment and drying.
  • Fence or clearly mark sensitive habitat before machinery enters the site.

Foraging habitat: Likely foraging areas

Foraging habitat outside the breeding season is poorly known for the Richmond Mountain Frog. As a precaution, manage the damp forest immediately upslope and beside breeding headwaters as potential habitat.

Related Philoria frogs use nearby forest microhabitats outside the breeding period. The Richmond Mountain Frog is expected to use similar damp locations, but this has not been confirmed in detail for the species.

Potential shelter and foraging features include logs, root masses, soil cavities, surface vegetation and leaf litter. These areas may support small invertebrate prey.

  • Damp forest floor beside and slightly upslope of seepages.
  • Under logs and within root masses.
  • Soil cavities, deep leaf litter and surface vegetation.
  • Moist ground adjoining rainforest or wet sclerophyll headwaters.

Foraging habitat: Site inspection and clearing controls

Search slowly through damp ground cover during ecological inspections. Avoid broad raking, soil stripping or removal of fallen timber where it is not necessary for the approved work.

If clearing is unavoidable, have a fauna spotter catcher and frog ecologist inspect wet ground, logs, root masses and cavities before disturbance. Hand removal of cover should be limited to what is needed for inspection and should be replaced where safe.

  • Keep machinery out of wet forest margins and saturated ground.
  • Use marked access routes and avoid unnecessary removal of logs, rocks, moss and leaf litter.
  • Stop work if a frog or nest is found and obtain direction from the site ecologist.
  • Use amphibian hygiene procedures between waterways and work areas to reduce disease transfer.

Foraging habitat: Information gaps

Diet, foraging distances and non-breeding movements are not well resolved for this species. Do not use the apparent absence of calling frogs in the breeding channel as evidence that adjoining forest is unused.

Related mountain frogs may move short distances into surrounding forest after breeding. Protect connected damp ground until site-specific survey and risk assessment are complete.

Breeding habitat: Nest locations

Breeding occurs almost exclusively in headwater drainage lines and bogs. Nests are small and can be overlooked, but they are sensitive to drying, sediment, trampling and changes to seepage flows.

Males construct and call from nests in muddy seepages within headwater streams. Nests are usually under rocks or logs, among mosses or root masses, or within clumps of Rainforest Spinach, Elatostema reticulatum.

Tadpoles develop entirely within the nests and rely on constant moisture. A small change to water flow, soil structure or ground cover can therefore affect a breeding site.

Breeding season covered by monitoring: September to February.

Transect length used in monitoring: 100 m along first or second order headwater streams.

  • Muddy seepages in first and second order headwater streams.
  • Wet bog margins and saturated drainage lines.
  • Ground beneath rocks, logs, mosses and root masses.
  • Clumps of Rainforest Spinach within wet stream margins.

Breeding habitat: Calling groups and survey approach

Calling males usually occur in small choruses. Maximum counts have reached 22 males along a 100 m transect, while most occupied-site counts were five or fewer individuals.

Surveys are best led by an experienced frog ecologist during the breeding season. Because calling is minimal at night, include daylight listening and visual searches of saturated nest habitat.

  • Survey the full wet section of each headwater, not only the main channel.
  • Record calling males, nests, tadpoles, water saturation, flow condition and recent disturbance.
  • Repeat surveys after suitable rainfall where drought has reduced stream moisture or breeding activity.
  • Do not handle frogs, eggs or tadpoles unless authorised and necessary for approved conservation work.

Breeding habitat: Protection during works

Treat confirmed nests and occupied breeding reaches as no-go areas until the ecologist and relevant regulator have set controls. Keep sediment, concrete washout, fuels, spoil and stormwater away from seepages.

Maintain the natural moisture regime. Avoid diverting, damming, dewatering, compacting or concentrating runoff through breeding habitat.

  • Install erosion and sediment controls before ground disturbance starts.
  • Use clean, disease-free equipment near headwaters.
  • Prevent vehicle, livestock and feral pig access to sensitive breeding zones where practicable.
  • Reinspect breeding habitat after heavy rain, flooding, fire, drought or any change to drainage.

Sheltering habitat: Likely shelter features

Specific non-breeding shelter sites are poorly known, but damp ground cover beside headwaters is likely to be used. Protect small habitat features as well as the stream channel.

The species is expected to shelter in moist forest microhabitats similar to those used by related mountain frogs. These include spaces under logs, within root masses and soil cavities, and among leaf litter and surface vegetation.

There is no evidence that the species uses caves, tree hollows, roosts or maternity roosts. Do not apply bat or hollow-bearing tree controls in place of frog habitat controls.

  • Moist logs and rotting timber.
  • Root masses and soil cavities.
  • Deep leaf litter, moss and low surface vegetation.
  • Damp ground slightly upslope of seepages and streams.

Sheltering habitat: Handling and relocation

Do not move logs, rocks or ground cover across the site during routine clearing unless this has been approved as part of the fauna management plan. If a frog is found, stop nearby work and keep people, machinery and direct sunlight away from it.

Relocation, collection and captive management require appropriate authorisation and should be directed by the project ecologist and relevant wildlife authority. No general relocation distance should be assumed.

  • Keep the area quiet and shaded while advice is obtained.
  • Do not place frogs in water or transport them in unapproved containers.
  • Use dedicated clean gloves and equipment if handling is authorised.
  • Record the location, habitat feature and work activity associated with the find.

Sheltering habitat: Disease hygiene

Amphibian chytrid fungus is a serious threat to mountain frogs. Work crews, ecologists and fauna spotter catchers should follow an approved amphibian hygiene protocol when moving between streams, seepages and catchments.

  • Clean and disinfect boots, waders, nets, containers and other equipment between waterbodies.
  • Keep equipment used in potentially infected or unknown areas separate where practicable.
  • Do not release water, mud or organic material from one waterbody into another.
  • Report unusual frog deaths or sick frogs through the project environmental incident process.

Threats: Clearing, earthworks and habitat loss

The Richmond Mountain Frog has a small, fragmented range and is sensitive to changes in moisture, water quality and ground structure. On works sites, the main risks are direct habitat disturbance, altered drainage, sediment and disease.

Clearing rainforest, wet sclerophyll forest or wet headwater margins can remove nests, shelter features and the damp ground needed between breeding periods. Roads, tracks, service corridors and laydown areas can divide small populations and increase access to sensitive sites.

Avoid disturbance wherever practicable. Clearly mark retained habitat and keep construction traffic, spoil and materials away from seepages, bogs and headwater streams.

  • Complete pre-clearance surveys by a qualified frog ecologist.
  • Use approved exclusion fencing and no-go areas before machinery arrives.
  • Retain logs, rocks, moss, root masses, leaf litter and saturated humus in retained habitat.
  • Stop work and report any frog, nest or tadpole found during clearing.

Threats: Drainage, drying and sediment

Climate change, drought, canopy loss and altered drainage can dry headwater habitat. Sediment can fill seepages, cover nests and change the soil structure that holds groundwater.

Design drainage and erosion controls to maintain natural seepage and avoid extra runoff, concentrated flows, dewatering or sediment entering breeding habitat.

  • Install and maintain erosion and sediment controls before excavation.
  • Keep concrete washout, fuels, chemicals and spoil away from waterways and seepages.
  • Inspect controls after rainfall and repair failures promptly.
  • Avoid unnecessary canopy removal and ground compaction near wet headwaters.

Threats: Fire, feral pigs and livestock

Fire can remove canopy, leaf litter, fallen timber and deep humus, increasing temperature and evaporation. Feral pigs can prey on frogs, disturb habitat and destroy breeding chambers. Cattle can also damage wet ground, stream margins and seepages.

Plan access and rehabilitation to prevent further disturbance of sensitive headwaters. Report feral pig signs, including tracks, scats and rooting, with location details and photographs where safe.

  • Keep heavy machinery and vehicles out of saturated ground.
  • Use fencing or other access controls around sensitive breeding zones where practicable.
  • Avoid piling slash or soil over headwater habitat.
  • Include post-fire and post-disturbance inspections in the environmental monitoring plan.

Threats: Disease and legal protection

Amphibian chytrid fungus can cause severe mortality in frog populations. Poor hygiene between waterways can spread the disease even where no frogs are seen.

The species is Endangered under Commonwealth and New South Wales listings and is an Asset of Intergenerational Significance. Project approvals, threatened species requirements and any species management conditions must be checked before work starts.

  • Use a project-specific frog management plan for clearing and construction near suitable habitat.
  • Have a qualified ecologist set survey effort, exclusion areas and response procedures for the site.
  • Do not assume that absence during one survey removes the need for habitat controls.
  • Keep records of surveys, sightings, incidents, exclusion zones and corrective actions.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Survey the Richmond Mountain Frog in moist headwater habitat, with particular attention to seepages, bogs and first or second order streams. Daylight surveys during the breeding season are most useful because calling activity is minimal at night.

Map headwater drainage lines, bogs, seepages, rainforest and wet sclerophyll vegetation before entering the site.

Give particular attention to montane uplands in and around Yabbra, Richmond Range and Toonumbar National Parks, and connected upland habitat.

Review recent fire, drought, sedimentation, feral pig and cattle disturbance information. Check whether the works could alter stream saturation, groundwater seepage, canopy cover or downstream water quality.

Known range: Far north-eastern New South Wales, with a disjunct distribution across montane uplands.

Potential habitat estimate from the study area: 96.8 km², although the species occupies only a small subset of suitable habitat.

  • Treat mapped watercourses and their immediate surrounds in rainforest, or within 500 m of rainforest, as potential habitat until assessed by a suitably qualified ecologist.
  • Include upslope forest with logs, root masses, soil cavities, leaf litter and deep humus in the assessment. Use this habitat cautiously because non-breeding habitat is poorly understood.

Survey methodology: 2. Breeding season survey

Survey during the daylight breeding season, generally September to February. Use periods when seepages and streams are flowing or saturated, preferably after suitable rainfall.

Walk 100 m transects along first or second order headwater streams. Start at the first expression of surface water where site conditions allow.

Search slowly for calling males, adults, nests and tadpoles. Inspect muddy seepages, stream margins and suitable nest sites under rocks, logs, moss, root masses and Rainforest Spinach, Elatostema reticulatum.

Use experienced frog ecologists for identification and nest searches. Do not rely on night call surveys, as calling activity is minimal at night.

Recorded maximum count: 22 calling males along a 100 m transect in previous monitoring.

Recent survey period: September 2020 to February 2021.

  • Repeat surveys when drought or drying may have suppressed breeding. A single negative visit should not be treated as proof that the species is absent.
  • Avoid trampling seepages, nests, moss, leaf litter and saturated stream margins during the search.

Survey methodology: 3. What to record

Record the transect start and end points, date, start and finish time, observers, survey conditions and the area searched.

Record every detection, including calling males, adults, nests, eggs or tadpoles. Note the location, habitat, microhabitat and whether the animal was inside or outside the proposed disturbance area.

Describe stream flow and saturation, seepage condition, canopy cover, recent fire, sediment, weeds, feral pig damage, cattle disturbance and nearby works.

Photograph habitat and signs where this can be done without disturbing the animal or breeding place.

  • Record the number of calling males separately from the number of visual adult detections.
  • Map occupied breeding places and all likely access routes, laydown areas, crossings and indirect impact pathways.
  • Submit records to the project ecologist and relevant threatened species database or authority as required by approval conditions.

Survey methodology: 4. Hygiene and survey controls

Use amphibian disease hygiene between catchments and between sites. Clean and disinfect boots, waders, nets, measuring equipment and other items that contact water or wet substrates.

Use dedicated equipment where practical. Do not move water, mud, vegetation or animals between seepages.

Keep survey teams small and stay on stable ground or existing access routes where possible.

  • Follow the current NSW hygiene protocol and any project-specific hygiene condition.
  • Stop and seek advice if the search would damage a nest, seepage, stream margin or other sensitive breeding habitat.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and permits

Avoid headwater seepages, bogs and associated moist forest wherever practicable. Confirm the approval pathway before works start, and make the frog, its breeding places and disease controls part of the site induction.

Have the project ecologist assess whether the action may significantly impact the Richmond Mountain Frog or its habitat. Make an EPBC Act referral where the legal threshold is met, or where required by the project approval pathway.

Obtain all required NSW threatened species, national park, land access and vegetation clearing approvals before disturbing habitat. Check approval conditions for survey, exclusion, reporting and rehabilitation requirements.

For works in Queensland, check whether a species management program is required for tampering with a breeding place or other protected wildlife requirements. Obtain Queensland permits before work starts.

Do not assume a general clearing approval authorises disturbance to an active breeding place.

  • Keep copies of approvals, permits, ecological reports, maps and contact details at the site office and in each work vehicle.
  • Nominate the person responsible for compliance and the person with authority to stop work.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and site design

Redesign the footprint to avoid headwater drainage lines, bogs, muddy seepages and their immediate surrounds. Avoid changes to groundwater flow, stream saturation, canopy cover and upslope drainage.

Keep access tracks, crossings, stockpiles, compounds, trenching and spoil outside mapped breeding habitat wherever practicable.

Protect logs, rocks, moss, root masses, saturated leaf litter, deep humus and Rainforest Spinach around seepages. These features may provide nest sites or non-breeding shelter.

  • Use a site-specific exclusion area that covers the breeding place, the seepage and the hydrological area needed to keep it wet. Have the ecologist set and mark the area because no universal disturbance distance is established for this species.
  • Fence and sign the exclusion area before machinery arrives. Use visible markers that remain clear in wet weather.
  • Prevent sediment, fuel, concrete washout, chemicals and weed material from entering headwater streams or seepages.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Timing and pre-clearance survey

Where practicable, schedule ground disturbance outside the main breeding survey period of September to February. Do not use timing alone to clear a seepage, because breeding may be suppressed during drought and resume after rainfall.

Complete a pre-clearance inspection shortly before works, after suitable wet conditions where possible. Recheck the area after substantial rain or if work is delayed.

Search all wet headwater habitat and likely nest sites within the approved work area and along access routes. Confirm that exclusion fencing is intact before each work shift.

  • Treat any nest, tadpole, calling male concentration or occupied seepage as an active breeding place until the ecologist confirms otherwise.
  • Do not clear during rain or when machinery traffic would cause sediment movement into a seepage or stream.
  • There is no known migration period requiring a separate corridor closure, but retain connected moist habitat and do not block movement between seepages and surrounding forest.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Induction and readiness

Include photographs, habitat features, likely nest locations and the stop-work process in the crew induction.

Tell all workers that only authorised fauna handlers may capture, move or release frogs. Workers must not pick up frogs, tadpoles or nest material.

Provide the spotter catcher and supervisor with clean amphibian equipment, holding containers, hygiene supplies, permits, maps and the ecologist's contact details.

  • Make every worker responsible for reporting a frog, nest, tadpole, seepage damage or disease concern immediately.
  • Brief operators on low-impact access, no-go areas, spill response and the need to keep machinery out of drainage lines.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Use a staged, low-impact work sequence and keep the spotter catcher close to the active work area. Stop immediately when a frog, nest or unexpected wet habitat is found.

Clear from the least sensitive edge towards already inspected ground. Retain headwater vegetation, saturated leaf litter, logs, rocks, moss, root masses and natural nest features unless their removal is approved.

Use hand methods around seepages, stream margins and other sensitive habitat. Keep machinery outside exclusion areas and avoid driving through drainage lines.

Inspect each section immediately before disturbance. Maintain a clear separation between checked ground and unchecked habitat.

  • Do not push vegetation, soil or spoil into a seepage or stream.
  • Use sediment and erosion controls before excavation, not after sediment has entered the watercourse.
  • Pause work if rainfall, runoff or ground conditions change the approved risk assessment.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Stop-work and animal handling

The fauna spotter catcher or nominated ecologist must have authority to stop work without waiting for site management approval.

If a Richmond Mountain Frog is found, stop nearby work, keep people and machinery back, and call the authorised handler. Do not chase, touch or move the animal unless handling is permitted and necessary.

Use clean, damp, disease-free equipment and the minimum handling time needed. Keep the animal cool, shaded and secure while the ecologist confirms the release or relocation method.

  • Do not handle eggs, tadpoles, nests or nest material unless specifically authorised under the approval and by a suitably qualified person.
  • Record the exact find location before any authorised movement.
  • If the animal is in an area that can remain undisturbed, leave it in place and establish an exclusion area.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Active breeding place or sensitive habitat

Stop all work that could affect an active nest, tadpoles, calling males or a saturated breeding seepage. Keep machinery, workers, vibration, sediment and altered drainage away from the location.

Have the project ecologist inspect the site and confirm whether the place can be avoided. If disturbance cannot be avoided, obtain written approval from the relevant authority before proceeding.

Do not drain, fill, compact, divert or dry a breeding seepage. Do not remove rocks, logs, moss, root masses or Rainforest Spinach from the nest area without approval.

  • Extend the exclusion area if seepage or runoff connects the breeding place to the work area.
  • Install or repair erosion and sediment controls before work resumes.
  • Treat a new wet drainage line or previously unmapped seepage as potential habitat until assessed.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Injury, disease and records

For an injured frog, stop work and contact the fauna handler and project ecologist. Keep the animal shaded, cool and isolated from other amphibians while veterinary or wildlife advice is obtained.

Do not release an injured animal, or any animal held during works, without an authorised release decision. Follow the permit, approval and wildlife rehabilitation pathway.

Report suspected chytrid disease, unusual mortality or contaminated equipment immediately. Stop movement between wet areas until hygiene controls have been checked.

  • Record the date, time, location, condition, photographs, handler, action taken and final outcome for every animal, nest and stop-work event.
  • Record any damage to seepages, stream banks, nests, canopy, logs, root masses or exclusion fencing.
  • Notify the relevant authority within the timeframe in the approval or permit.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance inspection

Finish each work area with a formal ecological inspection, not just a machinery check. Confirm that breeding habitat remains wet, connected and free of sediment, weeds and construction waste.

Have the ecologist or authorised spotter catcher inspect the cleared footprint, access routes, crossings, spoil areas and exclusion fencing before the site is signed off.

Search retained habitat and work edges for frogs, nests, tadpoles, injured animals, trapped fauna and new sediment pathways.

Remove temporary materials, waste and contaminated soil from sensitive habitat. Repair any damaged fence, marker, erosion control or stream crossing immediately.

  • Check that no trench, pit, pipe or artificial pool is retaining amphibians or directing water away from a seepage.
  • Document the condition of all retained breeding habitat with photographs and mapped points.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Monitoring and reporting

Monitor retained seepages, streams and bogs during the breeding season, particularly September to February and after substantial rainfall. Use the same daylight transect approach where practical so results can be compared.

Record calling males, nests, tadpoles, stream saturation, flow, sediment, weeds, feral pig damage, canopy condition and any new disturbance.

Compare results with pre-work records and investigate reduced saturation, lost calling activity or new barriers to movement.

  • Set monitoring duration and visit frequency through the approval, project risk assessment and advice from the species ecologist.
  • Continue monitoring where works altered drainage, canopy cover, soil structure or access to surrounding forest.
  • Report results to the approval holder and relevant authority in the required format and timeframe.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Relocated or rescued animals

Confirm the location and condition of every animal moved during the works. Record the release site, date, time, weather, habitat condition and person responsible.

Release animals only at an approved, suitable location close to the capture area unless the permit or conservation program specifies another location.

Use clean equipment and prevent contact with animals from different catchments or sites.

  • Do not move a frog into an unassessed seepage, private land or another population without approval.
  • Arrange follow-up checks where an animal was injured, held for an extended period or released under a translocation plan.
  • Report deaths, failed releases and unlocated animals through the project incident system and relevant wildlife authority.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review

Review every stop-work event, habitat breach, sediment release, animal injury, disease concern and unauthorised handling event before the next work stage.

Identify the cause, affected habitat, corrective action, responsible person and completion date.

Update the induction, work method, exclusion map and emergency contacts when the review identifies a recurring risk.

  • Do not resume the affected activity until the ecologist and site manager confirm that controls are in place.
  • Retain survey, handling, monitoring, incident and approval records for the period required by the approval or permit.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore water and ground structure

Rehabilitation should restore wet headwater function first, then rebuild the surrounding forest structure. Natural breeding features are more suitable for this species than standard nest boxes or bat boxes.

Reinstate natural drainage, seepage flow and stream saturation. Remove temporary diversions and compacted access surfaces where they affect groundwater or runoff.

Repair erosion and stabilise disturbed soil with locally appropriate materials. Keep sediment out of headwater streams and bogs.

Retain or replace naturally occurring logs, rocks, moss, root masses, saturated leaf litter and deep humus where the ecologist considers this appropriate.

  • Do not create open ponds or artificial channels in place of the natural seepage system.
  • Avoid altering the first expression of surface water or the structure of muddy seepages.
  • Use local provenance plants and clean soil or mulch to reduce disease and weed risks.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Replace breeding features carefully

Prioritise protection and reinstatement of natural nest sites under rocks or logs, among mosses and root masses, and within suitable Rainforest Spinach clumps.

Do not install standard nest boxes or bat boxes for this frog. They do not match the known nest structure or wet seepage setting.

Consider an artificial nest site only where a specialist amphibian ecologist designs it, the relevant authority approves it and the design maintains constant moisture and natural stream function.

  • Place any replacement structure within suitable headwater seepage habitat, not in a dry or isolated location.
  • Monitor occupancy and condition of artificial nest sites before treating them as successful mitigation.
  • Do not move nests, eggs or tadpoles into replacement structures unless this is authorised under the project approval and conservation plan.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Replant and control weeds

Restore rainforest or wet sclerophyll cover around retained headwater habitat using locally appropriate native species.

Re-establish shade, leaf litter, fallen timber and understorey structure without burying or diverting seepages.

Control weeds by methods that do not contaminate water or disturb nests, moss, root masses or saturated soil.

  • Inspect rehabilitation areas for weed regrowth, bare soil, drying, sediment and feral pig damage.
  • Keep stock, machinery and unauthorised access out of recovering breeding habitat.
  • Coordinate feral pig control and exclusion fencing with the wider landscape program.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Water quality, lighting and long-term monitoring

Prevent construction lighting from shining directly into retained headwater habitat. Use only the lighting needed for safety, direct it away from seepages and switch it off when not required.

Keep fuels, chemicals, wash water, concrete and sediment away from streams and bogs during rehabilitation and maintenance.

Monitor restored sites through suitable wet-season and breeding-season conditions. Include daylight searches for calling males, nests and tadpoles, together with stream saturation and habitat condition.

  • Use the pre-disturbance survey as the reference condition where available.
  • Continue monitoring until the site has stable water flow, effective erosion control, established native cover and no recurring construction impacts.
  • Trigger corrective action if breeding habitat dries, sediment accumulates, weeds spread, feral pigs re-enter or frog detections decline.

Sources