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Sunset Frog (Spicospina flammocaerulea)

The Sunset Frog is a small, distinctive Western Australian frog restricted to permanently moist, peat based swamps near Walpole, east and north-east of Bow Bridge. Its breeding swamps and surrounding catchments can be affected by clearing, drainage, road works, fire, disease and changes to surface or groundwater, so habitat checks and appropriately timed surveys are important on development sites.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Vulnerable.

Western Australia, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Vulnerable.

Breeding season

Sunset Frogs call mainly from September to December, with peak calling in November and early December. Egg laying and aquatic development occur through late spring and summer, so plan clearing, draining and dewatering outside October to February where practicable, while treating the peat swamp as habitat year round.

Reproductive mode: Aquatic egg laying. Females deposit eggs singly, and the species has an aquatic larval stage.

Clutch size or Litter size: Less than 200 eggs per female. A field guide account gives 50 to 120 eggs.

Incubation or Gestation: Not recorded.

Size at hatching or birth: Not recorded.

Age at maturity: Not recorded.

Nest or egg sites: Eggs are deposited singly in shallow still or slowly flowing water, often on algal mats just below the water surface. Breeding sites are in perched or high catchment peat swamps, including shallow pools, seepages, water-filled hollows and stream edges.

Breeding frequency: Not recorded.

Confirm timing locally with repeated night call surveys because calling varies between nights and years and responds to local rainfall, water temperature, weather and fire history.

  • Calling: Males may call sporadically from August, with the documented calling period mainly September to December. Calling peaks in November and early December, and varies between nights and years.
  • Egg laying: Eggs are deposited in late spring and early summer, corresponding broadly to October to December in south-western Western Australia. They are laid singly in shallow water, often on algal mats just below the surface.
  • Tadpoles: Tadpoles are aquatic and may be present from October to December breeding events into summer. Development into frogs may take about three months, but larval duration and seasonal persistence are not confirmed in the main recovery information.
  • Froglets: Froglets may leave the water from January to March if eggs laid in late spring or early summer follow the reported development period of about three months. The timing of metamorphosis and juvenile emergence has not been confirmed for this species.
  • Active period: No complete annual activity period is recorded. The best species-based detection window is August to February, covering sporadic to peak calling and a February record of frogs collected in swamp systems.
  • Winter inactivity: Winter sheltering, brumation and a confirmed refuge type have not been recorded. May to August is shown only as a general planning assumption for reduced activity in cool south-western wetland conditions, not as a species-confirmed dormancy period.
  • Highest clearing risk: October to December has the highest documented risk because adults are calling and eggs are being deposited in shallow peat swamp water. January and February remain a risk period for aquatic larvae, possible froglets and adults using swamp habitat, even though the peak breeding period has passed.

Identification

The Sunset Frog is readily recognised by its dark body and bright orange and blue ventral markings. It is most likely to be detected by its distinctive call rather than by daytime searches.

The frog is black or very dark grey above, with bright reddish-orange hands and feet. Orange markings occur below the anus and along the jaw margins. The throat, front of the chest and cloacal glands are bright orange. The belly has small bright blue spots on a dark background.

Adult size: About 29.5 to 36 mm snout to vent length.

Body colour: Black or very dark grey above.

Diagnostic markings: Bright orange hands, feet, throat, anterior chest and cloacal glands, with small blue belly spots.

Identification: Sexes and similar frogs

Males and females overlap in size, although the recovery plan reports females at 31 to 36 mm and males at 29.5 to 34.8 mm snout to vent length. The species is the only known member of its genus and is an ancient lineage most closely related to Uperoleia, Myobatrachus and Metacrinia. The supplied documents do not provide a formal field comparison with particular co-occurring frog species, so identification should be confirmed by an experienced herpetologist where visual characters or calls are uncertain.

  • Check the combination of dark body, orange hands and feet, orange throat and chest, and blue belly spots.
  • Do not rely on size alone because the reported male and female size ranges overlap.

Identification: Call and field detection

Males call from shallow pools, water seepages, large water-filled hollows and stream edges. The call consists of two pulsed notes and has been described as a rapidly repeated two-note call, often rendered as "duk duk". Calling males can stop calling for up to 20 minutes after disturbance, so observers should remain quiet and allow listening time.

Peak calling: November and early December at many sites.

Weather: Activity is reported to be greatest after rainfall.

  • Conduct nocturnal listening and call surveys during October to December.
  • Use a minimum of four nights under ideal conditions and repeat surveys over several periods where non-detection would affect project decisions.
  • Record calling locations without entering or damaging peat swamps, seepages or stream edges.

Distribution

The Sunset Frog is endemic to a small part of south-western Western Australia. All documented records are from Western Australia, near the south coast and east or north-east of Walpole.

The known range is centred east and north-east of Walpole, near and north of Bow Bridge, in the Warren region. Records occur in the Bow River, Kent River and possibly Frankland River catchments. The species was initially known from three separated peat swamps, and surveys from 1997 to 2000 increased the number of known populations to 27.

Australian state: Western Australia only.

Bioregional setting: South-western Western Australia high-rainfall zone, including the Warren region and the South Western Australia Temperate Forests conservation management zone.

Extent of occurrence: Approximately 305 km².

Area of occupancy: About 120 to 135 hectares, depending on the source and estimate.

Distribution: Strongholds and tenure

Known populations are concentrated near Bow Bridge, with sites in the Bow, Kent and possible Frankland catchments. The recovery plan reported at least 24 locations, including 12 on private property, 10 in national park or State forest proposed for reservation, and two in water resource development areas. The SPRAT profile records populations in Mount Frankland National Park and Mount Lindsay National Park, as well as private property north, west and east of Bow Bridge.

  • Treat peat swamps and their catchments as potential habitat even when a site has no recent calling records.
  • Check private land, national park, State forest and water resource development areas separately during desktop assessment.
  • Do not infer absence from a single unsuccessful survey because calling varies between nights and years.

Distribution: Population size and trend

There is no reliable current estimate of total population size. Historical surveys usually recorded fewer than 10 calling males at a site, although about 150 males were estimated at Trent Road, Bow River, in 1997. A recovery plan estimate of about 2,100 mature individuals was based on calling male counts and mark release recapture assumptions, but the plan noted substantial uncertainty.

Historical male counts: Usually fewer than 10 calling males per site, with about 150 estimated at Trent Road in 1997.

Historical total estimate: About 2,100 mature individuals in the 2002 recovery plan, based on indirect estimates.

Genetic dispersal distance: Effective female dispersal was estimated at about 8 to 10 km, based on mitochondrial data.

  • A decline from 120 calling males to two at Mountain Road over three years was recorded, while integrated monitoring across 13 sites from 1997 to 2000 found no overall decline using maximum calling male counts.
  • A 2009 review reported that only seven of 29 recorded populations were stable in population health and security of tenure.
  • Use repeated surveys, mark release recapture or other approved monitoring methods where population status must be assessed.

Habitat

The Sunset Frog is a habitat specialist of permanently moist, peat based swamps. The swamps are commonly high in the catchment, and their water supply depends on local seepage and intact surrounding vegetation.

The species occurs in isolated, permanently moist peat based swamps with organically rich soils. These include peat swamps in the headwaters of first order streams, perched swamps and swamps in areas of diffuse drainage. Sites are generally in a high-rainfall area of moderate relief, with granite outcrops and hills rising to about 300 to 400 m.

Primary habitat: Permanently moist peat based swamps with organically rich soils.

Hydrological setting: Headwaters of first order streams, perched swamps and diffuse drainage areas.

Reported relief: Hills and associated ranges rising to about 300 to 400 m.

  • Map peat swamps, seepages, first order drainage lines and perched wetlands before planning ground disturbance.
  • Include the swamp catchment in habitat assessment, not only the area containing open water.
  • Retain the vegetation and soil conditions that maintain moisture into spring and summer.

Habitat: Vegetation and structure

Most known sites are in and around the northern and eastern periphery of tingle forests. Local seepages help maintain high soil moisture and water availability beyond the usual wet period. The recovery plan identifies both the swamp and its catchment as critical habitat.

  • Avoid breaching or compacting peat and avoid actions that lower or redirect water entering the swamp.
  • Assess vegetation loss from fire, disease, clearing and road construction because it can alter water tables, breeding sites and peat formation.
  • Inspect large hollows containing water, shallow pools and stream edges within or adjoining peat swamps.

Habitat: Climate and site limits

The species is associated with the high-rainfall zone of south-western Australia and a strong winter rainfall regime. It persists in swamps that remain wet into spring and summer, when surrounding drainage lines may be dry. The supplied documents do not give a confirmed upper or lower elevation limit.

Climate setting: High-rainfall south-western Australia with a Mediterranean pattern and winter rainfall maximum.

Elevation limit: No confirmed species-specific elevation limit is provided; associated hills rise to about 300 to 400 m.

Foraging habitat: Known information

The supplied documents provide little information on the Sunset Frog's diet or feeding locations. Field planning should therefore protect the moist swamp structure used by the species and avoid assuming that only calling pools are occupied.

The species profile and recovery plan do not report food preferences, prey species or a defined foraging range. Tadpoles reared from eggs had poorly developed mouthparts, which may indicate limited feeding during development, but the documents do not establish the diet of tadpoles or adults.

  • Do not use the absence of observed feeding as evidence that a swamp or its margins are unused.
  • Retain moist peat, shallow pools, seepages, litter and surrounding vegetation because the species may use habitat outside observed calling locations.
  • Seek advice from a qualified amphibian ecologist where works may alter wetland water levels, prey availability or cover.

Foraging habitat: General field practice

As a general practice for a small wetland frog, inspect the full wetland margin and nearby moist ground rather than restricting searches to open water. Any handling, trapping or sampling should be undertaken only by appropriately authorised personnel using hygiene controls to reduce disease transmission between wetlands.

  • Keep soil, water, equipment and footwear from disturbed areas out of occupied or potential swamps.
  • Avoid chemical spills, sediment entry and nutrient pollution that could change wetland condition and aquatic prey communities.

Breeding habitat

Breeding occurs in shallow water within permanently moist peat swamps, usually in late spring and early summer. Calling males use small water features and stream edges, and females deposit eggs singly on algal mats below the water surface.

Males call from shallow pools, water seepages, large hollows containing water and stream edges. Females deposit eggs singly in shallow still or slowly flowing water, including on algal mats just below the water surface. The tadpole stage is aquatic and is presumed to be free swimming.

Breeding season: Mainly October to December, with peak calling in November and early December.

Egg deposition: Eggs are deposited singly, usually on algal mats just below the water surface.

Clutch size: Less than 200 eggs per female in the SPRAT profile; 50 to 120 eggs in the field guide account.

Development: Aquatic tadpole stage, presumed to be free swimming.

Maturity: No confirmed age at maturity is provided.

Lifespan: No confirmed lifespan is provided; marked animals were recaptured two years after initial marking, indicating that some adults survive between years.

  • Protect shallow pools, seepages, water-filled hollows, stream edges and algal mats during the breeding period.
  • Prevent sediment, pollutants and altered inflows from entering breeding water.
  • Avoid noise, trampling and night works around calling sites because calling males are sensitive to disturbance.

Breeding habitat: Breeding water and timing

The species breeds in peat swamps high in the catchment, including perched swamps and headwaters of first order streams. Breeding occurs when downstream drainages may be drying, so maintaining local seepage and swamp water levels is particularly important.

  • Schedule intrusive wetland works outside October to December where practicable, but do not treat other months as risk-free.
  • Use nocturnal call surveys during the breeding period before clearing or construction near potential habitat.
  • Include reference sites and repeated survey periods where one season of data may not adequately address non-detection.

Sheltering habitat

Specific non-breeding refuges have not been documented in detail. The species appears closely associated with swamp systems and may move little outside them.

The species profile reports frogs collected in swamp systems in February, but provides no confirmed refuge type, burrow, hollow, log or cover dimension. The recovery plan notes that short limbs, late spring or early summer egg deposition and the location of breeding sites suggest limited movement outside swamp habitat.

Documented refuge: Swamp systems are the only reported non-breeding location; a specific refuge structure is not reported.

Movement outside swamp: The recovery plan suggests that movement outside swamp habitat is likely to be limited.

  • Treat the entire peat swamp, its wet margins and the catchment as potential habitat, not only areas where frogs are heard calling.
  • Retain logs, litter, moss, tussocks, wet heath and other ground cover where these occur around seepages and pools.
  • Avoid disturbing peat, wet ground and swamp margins during clearing, road construction and fire management.

Sheltering habitat: Handling and hygiene

Chytridiomycosis is a serious potential threat to Australian frogs, and the Sunset Frog occurs in south-western Western Australia where amphibian chytrid has been recorded. Field teams should follow current amphibian hygiene and decontamination procedures when moving between wetlands.

  • Use clean, disinfected equipment and footwear between wetlands according to current government hygiene protocols.
  • Minimise handling and release frogs at the point of capture unless an approved survey or salvage method requires otherwise.
  • Do not move water, sediment, eggs, tadpoles or frogs between wetlands.

Threats: Clearing, fragmentation and hydrology

The main project risks are loss or degradation of peat swamps, altered hydrology, inappropriate fire, sediment and pollution, disease introduction, and disturbance of small and fragmented populations. Because the species has a small range, a local impact can affect a substantial part of its known distribution.

Clearing or subdivision near swamps can increase fire frequency and human pressure. Changes to drainage, groundwater or surface water can reduce breeding habitat, alter peat formation and change the water table. Dams and other water resource works may flood swamps or alter their hydrology.

  • Avoid clearing peat swamps and their inflow areas.
  • Assess the effect of roads, drains, culverts, dams, dewatering, fill placement and groundwater extraction on swamp water levels.
  • Maintain natural inflows and prevent sediment, nutrients, chemicals and polluted runoff entering swamps.
  • Treat the catchment of an occupied swamp as part of the habitat assessment.

Threats: Fire and peat damage

Fire effects vary between sites. Calling may increase soon after some burns, but a long-term decline in calling males was recorded at one site, and fires that burn peat or increase the chance of peat ignition may be harmful. The recovery plan states that the appropriate fire interval and intensity remain uncertain.

  • Do not burn occupied or potential peat swamps without a site-specific ecological assessment and monitoring plan.
  • Prevent fire from burning the peat substrate and document fire history at known sites.
  • Monitor calling activity and habitat condition after any fire affecting a known population.

Threats: Disease, predators and construction impacts

Chytridiomycosis can cause sporadic deaths or complete mortality in amphibian populations and is a relevant biosecurity risk. Feral pig excavation occurs in some swamps near the type locality and may affect frogs, although early monitoring found little evidence of pig damage at known populations. Road construction can cause siltation, physical damage to swamps and changes to water movement.

  • Apply amphibian hygiene controls between wetlands and prevent movement of contaminated soil, water and equipment.
  • Control sediment during road and infrastructure works, especially where roads cross or drain towards peat swamps.
  • Assess feral pig activity and prevent pigs from accessing sensitive swamp habitat where practicable.
  • Avoid night disturbance around calling sites during October to December.

Threats: Population vulnerability

The known range is fragmented and very small, with many populations on private property. Historical counts varied greatly between nights and years, and some sites with no calling activity still contained frogs. This makes local presence difficult to assess without repeated surveys.

Recorded population structure: At least 27 possible populations were reported from 1997 to 2000, with a later review referring to 29 recorded populations.

Private land: The recovery plan reported 12 of at least 24 locations on private property.

  • Do not clear potential habitat solely because a single call survey was negative.
  • Use repeated nocturnal surveys during October to December, preferably after rainfall.
  • Engage the relevant Western Australian threatened fauna authority before works that may affect known or potential habitat.

Survey methodology: 1. Call surveys

The Sunset Frog is a small, cryptic amphibian restricted to permanently moist, peat based swamps in south western Western Australia. Surveys must target nocturnal calling activity and the shallow wet features used by males, particularly after rainfall.

Use nocturnal call surveys as the primary detection method. Males call from shallow pools, water seepages, large water filled hollows and stream edges.

Survey during October to December, the known seasonal calling period. Activity is greatest after rainfall, so schedule nights when suitable rainfall has occurred and avoid relying on surveys conducted outside the calling period.

Listen carefully because calling males may be disturbed and can take up to 20 minutes to resume calling. Record the location of each calling male or calling group without entering or damaging peat swamp habitat.

Primary method: Nocturnal call survey

Calling period: October to December

Favourable conditions: After rainfall

Calling locations: Shallow pools, water seepages, large water filled hollows and stream edges

  • Survey all suitable permanently moist peat based swamps, seepages, shallow pools, water filled hollows and adjoining stream edges within the proposed disturbance area.
  • Use experienced personnel who can identify the Sunset Frog call and distinguish it from other south western Australian frog calls.

Survey methodology: 2. Visual and habitat searches

Undertake nocturnal visual searches at calling sites and along seepages, pools, hollows and stream edges. Visual searches can support call detection but should not replace call surveys.

Use habitat searches outside the calling season only as supplementary evidence. The available guidance states that searches for sheltering frogs can find animals inconsistently, and larvae are not easy to find.

Detection limitation: Call surveys detect calling males only

Larval detection: Larvae are difficult to find

  • Inspect suitable wet peat based habitat without trampling peat, disturbing egg deposition sites or altering water movement.
  • Record apparently suitable habitat where no frog is detected, because absence of calling males does not demonstrate absence of the species.

Survey methodology: 3. Automated recording and repeat visits

Use automated call recorders where access, project duration or night work constraints make repeated attended surveys necessary. Position recorders to cover shallow pools, seepages, water filled hollows and stream edges, and check that equipment does not damage peat or obstruct animal movement.

Repeat surveys over several periods and include a nearby reference site where feasible. Repeated surveys are recommended because calling varies between nights and years, and the species may be present when no calling activity is recorded.

Recommended attended effort: A minimum of four nights under ideal conditions

Survey intensity: High intensity searches repeated over several periods

Reference sites: Include local reference sites where feasible

  • Stratify the search area by peat swamps, seepages, shallow pools, water filled hollows, stream edges and adjoining catchment areas before selecting survey points.
  • Record rainfall, temperature, cloud, wind, moon phase, survey start and finish times, observer effort, recorder placement and frog detections for every visit.

Survey methodology: Minimum effort and reporting

  • Complete at least four nocturnal survey nights under ideal conditions during October to December, with additional repeated survey periods where non detection would affect the project decision.
  • Plan surveys after rainfall where practicable and document conditions when suitable rainfall cannot be obtained.
  • Survey the full area of permanently moist peat based swamp habitat and associated seepages, pools, water filled hollows and stream edges that could be affected directly or through changed water flow.
  • Use the results to map occupied habitat, potential habitat, calling locations, access routes, proposed impact areas and nearby reference sites.
  • Report survey dates, start and finish times, weather, rainfall, methods, effort, observers, call identifications, photographs or recordings, coordinates and detection confidence.
  • Submit confirmed records and negative survey results, where requested, to the relevant Western Australian wildlife database and the project authority, and retain original recordings and field data.
  • Obtain advice from the relevant Western Australian wildlife authority before handling, trapping, marking, sampling or relocating any Sunset Frog.

Before habitat disturbance: Avoid and minimise

Treat occupied swamps, their catchments and the water conditions that sustain them as potential habitat. The species has a small, fragmented distribution, with known populations on both public and private land.

Redesign works to retain permanently moist peat based swamps, shallow pools, seepages, water filled hollows, stream edges and the vegetation that protects them.

Retain the catchment areas that supply occupied swamps. Avoid drainage, diversion, sediment input, pollution, eutrophication and changes to surface or groundwater flow.

Maintain connections between nearby peat swamps and moist refuge areas. Do not assume that a narrow project footprint is isolated from effects on swamp hydrology.

Critical habitat: Occupied swamps and their catchments

Known range: Approximately 305 square kilometres extent of occurrence

Known area of occupancy: Approximately 135 hectares in the SPRAT profile

  • Do not place access tracks, compounds, spoil, stockpiles, drains or sediment controls within swamp habitat unless the approved environmental controls specifically allow the activity.
  • Use a site specific setback or exclusion area determined by a suitably qualified ecologist and the relevant authority. The supplied documents do not prescribe a universal buffer distance.
  • Avoid actions that breach peat, reduce peat accumulation, remove swamp vegetation or increase the risk of frequent or intense fire.

Before habitat disturbance: Approvals and work planning

Check whether the project may significantly affect the nationally listed species or its habitat and obtain environmental approval or make an EPBC Act referral where required.

Confirm Western Australian threatened fauna approvals, permits and licences before survey, capture, handling, marking, relocation or disturbance. Use the current state requirements rather than relying on the historical recovery plan.

Schedule clearing and ground disturbance to avoid October to December where practicable, because this is the main calling and breeding period. If works must occur then, increase pre clearance checks and daily supervision.

National listing: EPBC Act Vulnerable

Western Australian listing: Vulnerable

Main calling and breeding period: October to December

  • Prepare a fauna management plan that identifies occupied and potential swamp habitat, hydrology controls, survey results, exclusion areas, fauna handling authority, stop work triggers, wet weather controls and reporting responsibilities.
  • Stage works from cleared or unsuitable ground towards retained habitat so that animals have an opportunity to move into retained moist habitat rather than being surrounded by machinery.
  • Brief operators, supervisors and spotter catchers on the species appearance, call, habitat and the limits on handling.

Before habitat disturbance: Site preparation

Complete the targeted pre clearance survey before finalising the work footprint. Survey all suitable peat swamps and wet features, not only the area where vegetation will be removed.

Mark occupied habitat, potential habitat, seepages, shallow pools, water filled hollows, stream edges, drainage paths and access exclusions on construction plans and in the field.

Install exclusion fencing where it can protect swamp edges and wet features without blocking frog movement or diverting water. Inspect fencing after rain and repair any gaps or scour.

  • Use clean equipment and footwear protocols when moving between wetlands to reduce the risk of spreading amphibian disease and soil pathogens.
  • Install erosion, sediment and spill controls before work starts, outside retained swamp habitat where practicable.
  • Confirm a nearby retained release area before any authorised relocation is contemplated. Do not move frogs to an unassessed wetland or across a substantial ecological barrier.

During habitat disturbance: Daily controls and supervision

Keep machinery, people and sediment away from retained swamp habitat. A fauna spotter catcher should work as part of the construction team, with authority to pause activities when a frog, wet feature or unexpected hydrological impact is identified.

Inspect exclusion fencing, swamp edges, seepages, sediment controls, drains and water crossings at the start of each shift and after rainfall.

Keep machinery on approved access routes and prevent entry into peat swamps, shallow pools, seepages, water filled hollows and stream edges unless the approved method specifically requires access.

Use low ground pressure and low disturbance methods where work is authorised near peat, and prevent rutting, peat exposure, compaction and changes to water flow.

  • The fauna spotter catcher should remain positioned where the active work area and the immediate escape route can be seen safely.
  • The spotter catcher should maintain direct communication with the operator and give a clear stop instruction before entering or inspecting a risk area.
  • Do not use a spotter catcher as a substitute for avoiding or fencing occupied habitat.
  • Stop work during intense rainfall, flooding, uncontrolled runoff or a spill that could carry sediment or contaminants into swamp habitat, until the environmental officer confirms that controls are effective.

During habitat disturbance: Fauna handling and relocation

If a Sunset Frog is found, stop work in the immediate area and keep people, vehicles and machinery away from it. Allow it to move naturally to retained suitable habitat where safe.

Only an appropriately authorised person may capture, handle, mark or relocate the frog. Follow the conditions of the relevant Western Australian permit and the fauna management plan.

If relocation is authorised, place the frog in nearby retained, permanently moist habitat with comparable shelter and water conditions, selected by the project ecologist. Record the original and release locations.

  • Use clean, powder free gloves and clean equipment for each animal, and minimise handling time and heat exposure.
  • Do not keep the frog in direct sun, dry containers, standing water or contaminated equipment.
  • Do not collect eggs or larvae unless the activity is specifically authorised and supervised under the relevant permit.
  • Send an injured frog promptly to an approved wildlife carer or veterinarian, following the permit and agency contact arrangements.

During habitat disturbance: Habitat features, triggers and records

Treat peat, wetland vegetation, seepages, shallow pools, water filled hollows, stream edges, logs, rocks and other moist cover as fauna habitat. Do not remove, bury or relocate these features unless the approved plan addresses them.

Trigger stop work for any Sunset Frog detection, damage to an occupied swamp or seepage, peat breach, unexpected pond drainage, altered inflow or outflow, sediment release, chemical spill, failed exclusion fence or unapproved machinery entry.

The environmental officer should assess the incident, obtain specialist advice where needed, update controls and authorise restart only after the risk has been addressed.

  • Record every detection, including date, time, coordinates, habitat feature, weather, activity, photographs or audio, handling, release details and personnel involved.
  • Record all fauna incidents, near misses, habitat damage, rainfall events, control failures and corrective actions in the daily environmental register.
  • Notify the project manager and relevant government authority of reportable incidents in accordance with approval conditions and permits.
  • Do not assume that the absence of further calls means the animal has left the work area.

After habitat disturbance: Post clearance checks

Post clearance work must confirm that no animals remain in the disturbed area, that swamp hydrology has been maintained and that controls continue to protect retained habitat.

Complete a final inspection of the cleared area, retained swamp edges, seepages, shallow pools, water filled hollows, stream edges and access routes before demobilisation.

Undertake targeted nocturnal checks during October to December where the works affected suitable habitat, altered access to habitat or occurred during the calling season.

Repair any ruts, peat damage, drainage changes, sediment controls or fence failures that could affect water availability or movement into retained swamp habitat.

  • Check machinery laydown areas, stockpiles and temporary crossings for frogs before removal or rehabilitation.
  • Confirm that no spoil, waste, sediment or contaminated water has entered a swamp, seepage, pool or stream edge.
  • Retain photographs and mapped boundaries showing the final disturbance footprint and condition of retained habitat.

After habitat disturbance: Monitoring and reporting

Monitor retained and rehabilitated habitat through the next suitable calling period, using nocturnal call surveys after rainfall and repeat visits where practicable.

Compare records with pre disturbance surveys and reference sites, while recognising that calling varies between nights and that non detection does not prove local absence.

Report detections, mortality, relocations, habitat damage, hydrology changes, rehabilitation results and corrective actions to the approval holder and relevant authorities.

  • Continue monitoring for disease, dieback, weed invasion, erosion, altered water tables and fire impacts around retained swamps.
  • Maintain exclusion fencing, sediment controls, access restrictions and signage until the environmental officer confirms that they are no longer required.
  • Consider an offset or other approved conservation measure where residual impacts remain after avoidance and mitigation, in accordance with the approval decision.

Rehabilitation actions: Restore wetland structure and water flow

Rehabilitation should restore the wet, peat based conditions and water pathways used by the Sunset Frog. The species depends on permanently moist swamps, and damage to surrounding vegetation or hydrology can reduce breeding habitat.

Reinstate natural surface water flow into and through the swamp without creating erosion, drainage or prolonged open water that differs from the pre work condition.

Repair peat breaches and compacted ground using methods approved by the project ecologist and relevant authority. Do not import soil, mulch or water from sites that could spread amphibian disease or Phytophthora cinnamomi.

Replant locally appropriate native swamp and seepage vegetation from approved provenance to restore shade, cover, soil moisture and peat forming conditions.

Target habitat: Permanently moist peat based swamps in headwaters of first order streams or perched swamps in diffuse drainage areas

Breeding features: Shallow pools, seepages, large water filled hollows and stream edges

  • Remove temporary drains, crossings, spoil and hardstand that intercept or concentrate water.
  • Use clean machinery and footwear protocols during rehabilitation works in wet areas.
  • Do not plant non local or invasive species in or beside retained swamp habitat.

Rehabilitation actions: Retain cover and manage threats

Retain or reinstate moist ground cover, leaf litter, logs and rocks where they occur naturally and where they do not obstruct water flow. The supplied species accounts do not specify a required number or size of these features.

Control weeds and prevent feral pig access where pigs damage swamp substrates. Use methods that do not disturb peat or contaminate water.

Manage fire around peat swamps according to an approved, site specific fire plan. Avoid fire that burns the peat substrate or creates a fire regime that increases substrate ignition.

  • Record fire history and inspect rehabilitated swamps after any fire for peat burning, loss of vegetation, altered water tables and changes in calling activity.
  • Do not use broad fire treatment or fuel reduction burning in occupied swamp habitat without specialist assessment and the required approvals.
  • Apply amphibian disease hygiene procedures to all rehabilitation crews and equipment.

Rehabilitation actions: Monitoring and success measures

Monitor rehabilitated areas during at least one October to December calling period, with nocturnal surveys after rainfall and repeat visits under suitable conditions.

Assess whether permanently moist conditions, native swamp vegetation, shallow wet features, seepages, stream edges and natural water flow have been restored and retained.

Use calling activity, habitat condition and evidence of ongoing water availability as monitoring measures, while interpreting calling counts cautiously because activity varies between nights and years.

Recommended monitoring period: October to December, preferably after rainfall

Survey effort for detection: At least four nocturnal nights under ideal conditions, with repeated survey periods where needed

  • Set project specific success criteria before rehabilitation starts, including stable wetland hydrology, no continuing peat erosion, established native wetland vegetation and no uncontrolled sediment or contaminant entry.
  • Compare rehabilitation results with pre disturbance records and a suitable reference site where feasible.
  • Continue corrective works and monitoring if the site dries, drains, erodes, becomes weed infested or fails to provide suitable wet peat habitat.
  • Submit confirmed records and monitoring results to the relevant Western Australian wildlife database and report them under approval conditions.

Sources