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Tinkling Frog (Taudactylus rheophilus)

The Tinkling Frog is a small, stream-dwelling frog of upland rainforest in north-east Queensland. It uses rocky first and second-order streams, seepages and trickles, so clearing, earthworks, altered flows and poor hygiene around waterways can affect potential habitat. The species is listed as critically endangered under Commonwealth and Queensland legislation and is protected wildlife in Queensland.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Critically endangered.

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Critically endangered.

Breeding season

The Tinkling Frog has documented calling and larval activity from December to May. Timing may vary between streams and years, so treat suitable upland rainforest streams as potentially occupied during the broader activity period.

Breeding mode: Males form choruses and call from under rocks or roots, sometimes partly submerged. The call is a soft metallic tapping sound, repeated in quick succession.

Clutch size: Females carry 35 to 50 large eggs.

Egg size: Eggs are 1.8 to 2.4 mm in diameter.

Egg laying site: The precise egg laying substrate is not recorded. Calling and breeding activity is associated with rocks, roots, seepages and trickle areas beside fast flowing rainforest streams.

Incubation period: Not recorded.

Larval period: Larval activity is recorded from December to May. Details of the tadpole are not described.

Age at maturity and breeding frequency: Not recorded.

Seasonal activity may vary between years and streams, and the species is poorly known, so suitable upland rainforest stream habitat should be treated cautiously outside the documented peak period as well.

  • Breeding and calling activity: Males call and form choruses during the documented December to May calling period.
  • Eggs and larvae in stream habitat: The documented larval period is December to May, but egg laying and incubation timing are not recorded.
  • Adult nocturnal and overcast-day activity: Adults are mainly nocturnal and may also be active on overcast days, with no month-specific inactivity period documented.
  • Survey window for breeding stream habitat: Plan surveys around peak activity, using night call detection and spotlighting, with the species account identifying September to March as a seasonal survey period.
  • Highest clearing risk: Avoid disturbance to first and second order streams, seepages, rocks, roots and logs during December to May, when calling and larval activity are documented.

Identification: Appearance

The Tinkling Frog is a small, robust frog with a truncated snout and a distinctive metallic call. It is cryptic and may be difficult to detect among wet rocks, roots and stream debris.

Adults are 24 to 31 mm long. The back may be grey-brown, reddish or dark brown, with irregular darker markings.

A narrow pale streak runs from the eye towards the groin. A broad black band lies below it, breaking into a marbled or reticulate pattern on the flanks.

The underside is brown with irregular creamy-white markings. The limbs have irregular blackish cross bands, and the toes are fringed but not webbed.

The digit tips have small, conspicuous discs. A pale glandular patch extends from the angle of the jaw to the base of the forearm.

Identification: Calls and similar species

The call is a soft metallic tapping sound, often described as "tink tink tink". It may be repeated four to five times in quick succession and can sound like a gentle rattle.

No reliable similar-species guide is available for field use. Identification should combine the frog's appearance, call, upland rainforest setting and association with rocky streams.

  • Listen from the stream edge and inspect beneath rocks and roots.
  • Treat an unfamiliar metallic tapping call in suitable upland stream habitat as a potential Tinkling Frog call.
  • Avoid turning or lifting cover objects unless needed for a permitted fauna inspection.

Identification: Field signs

Adults shelter under rocks, roots and logs in seepages and trickle areas beside streams. Direct observation and calls are the main practical signs.

No distinctive droppings, nests, whitewash, stains or odour are available as reliable site signs. Tadpole features have not been described.

Distribution: Range in Australia

The Tinkling Frog is restricted to the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area of north-east Queensland. It has a highly localised, disjunct distribution on upland mountain ranges.

The species is known only from Queensland. Historical records extend from Thornton Peak to Mount Bellenden Ker, at elevations from 940 to 1500 m.

Recorded areas include Thornton Peak, the Carbine Tableland and the Bellenden Ker Range. The species was historically described as four disjunct populations.

State: Queensland only

Historical altitude: 940 to 1500 m

Bioregion: Wet Tropics of north-east Queensland

  • Thornton Peak
  • Carbine Tableland
  • Bellenden Ker Range
  • Mount Bellenden Ker

Distribution: Current field context

The species has undergone a sudden range contraction. Survey guidance records that it had not been seen in the wild since 1995, although recovery planning reported small populations in two creeks after it was relocated on the Carbine Tableland and Bellenden Ker Range.

Do not assume that a site is unsuitable because the frog has not been recorded there recently. Suitable upland stream habitat should be treated cautiously, particularly where records are old or survey effort has been limited.

  • Check current fauna records and approvals before works begin.
  • Map all rocky first and second-order streams, seepages and trickles within or downstream of the work area.
  • Use the precautionary approach where suitable habitat is present but an appropriate survey has not been completed.

Distribution: Protection status

The Tinkling Frog is listed as critically endangered under the Commonwealth and Queensland conservation frameworks. Actions that may affect the species or its habitat can require regulatory assessment.

In Queensland, the species is protected wildlife. Interference with a breeding place may require a species management program and suitable approval.

Habitat: Stream and rainforest setting

Look for the Tinkling Frog in upland rainforest beside fast-flowing streams. The most relevant site features are rocky channels, shaded riparian vegetation, seepages and small trickles with cover close to the water.

The species is restricted to upland rainforest and is closely associated with perennial rainforest streams. It uses the riparian zone along first and second-order streams.

Potential habitat may occur around small tributaries as well as larger rocky stream sections. Stream margins can remain suitable even where the surrounding rainforest is intact and no clearing is proposed.

  • Upland tropical rainforest
  • Fast-flowing, rocky streams
  • First and second-order stream channels
  • Shaded stream margins with wet rocks, roots and logs

Habitat: Features to inspect on a site

Inspect seepage lines, trickles and damp margins beside the main channel. Pay particular attention to stable rocks, exposed roots, logs and boulders that provide concealed wet refuges.

Include areas above and below proposed crossings, culverts, access tracks, fill placement and drainage works. A small disturbance footprint can still affect stream flow, sediment movement or water quality.

  • Rocky riffles and shallow flowing water
  • Seepages entering the stream
  • Trickle areas beside the channel
  • Undercut banks, roots, logs and boulders
  • Dense, shaded riparian cover

Habitat: Site assessment

Record stream order, flow condition, substrate, bank stability, nearby seepages and the amount of natural cover. Note any barriers, sediment inputs, drainage changes or signs of recent disturbance.

The known habitat is within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. Habitat assessments should be completed by personnel experienced with rainforest streams and threatened frogs.

Known landscape: Wet Tropics World Heritage Area

Key habitat association: Riparian zone of first and second-order streams

Foraging habitat: Where foraging may occur

The Tinkling Frog's diet and detailed foraging behaviour are poorly known. For site planning, treat the damp stream edge and its cover objects as potential feeding habitat, not just as shelter.

Adults are associated with wet rocks, roots and logs in seepages and trickle areas beside fast-flowing streams. These surfaces and the adjacent leaf litter may support small invertebrate prey.

Avoid removing cover, compacting damp margins or disturbing seepage paths during site preparation. Keep machinery and stored materials away from the riparian zone wherever practicable.

  • Wet rocks and boulder edges
  • Roots and logs beside flowing water
  • Seepages and trickles
  • Damp leaf litter and shaded stream margins

Foraging habitat: Diet and evidence

A species-specific diet has not been established. Do not rely on prey remains, feeding marks or droppings to confirm presence.

If ecological information is needed, use non-destructive methods and seek advice from the relevant fauna ecologist or authority. Handle frogs only when necessary.

Known diet: Not established

Practical field approach: Protect damp stream-edge habitat and inspect cover carefully

Breeding habitat: Breeding places

Breeding is associated with rocky rainforest streams and concealed sites under rocks or roots. Males form a chorus and may call while partly in the water.

Males call from under rocks or roots, sometimes half submerged. These locations should be treated as potential breeding places where calling frogs or suitable chorus habitat are found.

The precise egg-laying surface and larval habitat have not been described. Avoid disturbing rocks, roots, logs and stream margins during works or inspections.

  • Rocks at the stream edge
  • Roots and cavities beside flowing water
  • Shallow wet areas and seepages
  • Concealed spaces that may be partly submerged

Breeding habitat: Breeding information

Females carry 35 to 50 large eggs. Individual eggs are 1.8 to 2.4 mm in diameter.

Males call during the December to May period. Juveniles have been collected in December and May, but the full breeding cycle is not known.

Eggs per female: 35 to 50

Egg diameter: 1.8 to 2.4 mm

Calling period: December to May

Breeding habitat: Works planning near breeding habitat

Plan stream crossings, bank works, vegetation removal and dewatering to avoid rocks, roots and seepages. Keep sediment, concrete washout, fuels and other contaminants out of flowing water.

If calling frogs are detected, stop and isolate the immediate work area. Obtain advice from the fauna ecologist and confirm any required Queensland or Commonwealth approvals before proceeding.

  • Mark potential breeding places before ground disturbance.
  • Do not move rocks or logs unnecessarily.
  • Prevent changes to natural flow and seepage paths.
  • Use a qualified fauna spotter catcher where handling or exclusion is authorised.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter sites

The Tinkling Frog shelters in wet cover close to fast-flowing rainforest streams. It is mainly nocturnal, but may be active on overcast days.

Inspect beneath boulders, rocks, roots and logs in seepages and trickle areas next to streams. These features may provide both daytime refuge and access to wet surfaces at night.

Shelter habitat can be easily damaged by machinery, trampling, rock movement, stockpiling and changes to drainage.

  • Beneath boulders and stable rocks
  • Under exposed roots
  • Under logs beside the stream
  • Within damp seepages and trickle lines

Sheltering habitat: Activity and inspection

Adults are mainly nocturnal and may be active on overcast days. Visual searches and call detection should therefore include both daytime habitat checks and night work under suitable conditions.

Use a gentle inspection method. Replace cover objects exactly as found where this is safe and authorised, and avoid entering unstable banks or fast water.

  • Inspect at night for calling or active frogs.
  • Use daytime checks to map cover and access constraints.
  • Avoid surveys during heavy rainfall or high stream flow.
  • Do not handle frogs unless necessary and authorised.

Threats: Chytrid fungus and field hygiene

The main known threat is amphibian chytrid fungus, against a background of severe population decline. Development can add local risks by disturbing stream habitat, changing water conditions or spreading pathogens between catchments.

Amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is an immediate threat to the Tinkling Frog and is associated with severe amphibian declines.

Strict hygiene is needed between sites. Clean and disinfect footwear, nets, bags, tools, waders, wetsuits, torches and other field equipment between sampling locations.

  • Use one bag for one frog and do not reuse bags.
  • Use fresh disposable gloves for each sample, or clean and disinfect hands between samples.
  • Disinfect vehicle tyres where required in high-risk areas.
  • Do not move frogs between catchments or widely separated areas.

Threats: Stream disturbance and water quality

Sediment, pollutants, concrete washout, fuels and altered drainage can affect rocky stream habitat and aquatic life. Clearing, trenching, crossings and dewatering can also remove cover or change flow through seepages and trickles.

Keep works out of the channel and riparian zone wherever practicable. Use effective erosion and sediment controls before soil is disturbed, and inspect controls after rainfall.

  • Prevent sediment entering streams and seepages.
  • Maintain natural stream flow and drainage paths.
  • Protect rocks, roots, logs and boulders from unnecessary disturbance.
  • Avoid releasing dirty water into occupied or potential habitat.

Threats: Access, clearing and construction

Roads, tracks, crossings, service trenches and vegetation removal can fragment or degrade narrow stream-edge habitat. Even where the rainforest canopy remains, construction beside a small tributary may affect the frog's shelter and breeding places.

Before works, map all potential habitat and set out no-go areas approved by the project ecologist. Keep materials, spoil, vehicles and laydown areas away from stream margins and seepage lines.

  • Use existing access routes where possible.
  • Minimise clearing at stream crossings.
  • Avoid unnecessary night lighting beside streams.
  • Stop work and report any suspected Tinkling Frog immediately.

Threats: Climate and environmental change

The causes of the historic decline remain uncertain. Environmental effects may have preceded some frog declines by one to two years, so a lack of immediate observations does not demonstrate that habitat is unaffected.

Record changes in flow, temperature exposure, canopy cover, sediment, fire impacts and stream condition. Share observations through the project fauna reporting process and relevant recovery programs.

Known decline pattern: Sudden decline in upland stream-associated frogs

Environmental lead time noted in recovery planning: One to two years before some declines

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

The Tinkling Frog is a critically endangered, stream dwelling frog with very few recent records. Treat suitable upland rainforest stream habitat as potentially occupied unless a competent survey has shown otherwise.

Check whether the site contains upland rainforest, rocky first or second order streams, seepages or trickle areas. Pay particular attention to habitat between Thornton Peak and Mount Bellenden Ker, including the Carbine Tableland and Bellenden Ker Range.

Review previous records, recovery planning information, threatened species databases, mapped waterways and recent survey reports. Confirm whether the proposal could affect the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area or known habitat.

Known Queensland habitat: Upland rainforest beside fast flowing streams, seepages and trickle areas

Historical altitude: 940 to 1500 m

Known regional extent: Thornton Peak to Mount Bellenden Ker

  • Assume presence where suitable habitat occurs and an appropriate survey has not been completed.
  • Use an experienced herpetologist to assess stream habitat, access constraints and the likelihood of chytrid movement between sites.

Survey methodology: 2. Field detection

Survey the riparian zone along first and second order streams. Search beneath boulders, rocks, roots and logs in seepages and trickle areas, but avoid unnecessary disturbance.

Use a combination of daytime habitat searches, night spotlighting and call detection. Males call from beneath rocks or roots and may be partly submerged. The call is a soft metallic tapping, often heard as repeated tink tink tink, or a gentle rattle.

Adult size: 24 to 31 mm

Calling period: December to May

Seasonal survey period: September to March

  • Have an experienced observer assess habitat and lead any searches beneath cover.
  • Handle frogs only when necessary and only under an approved fauna handling authority.
  • Do not rely on call detection alone, especially where stream noise, rainfall or high flow may mask calls.

Survey methodology: 3. Timing and effort

Survey during the species' peak activity period and under suitable weather conditions. Avoid heavy rainfall and high stream flow. Where practicable, survey about one week after heavy rainfall, when access and stream conditions are safe.

Complete at least four nights under ideal conditions. Cover a minimum 200 m stream transect and include a range of stream structures and adjacent refuge habitat.

Minimum survey effort: Four nights under ideal conditions

Minimum transect length: 200 m of stream

  • Record the date, start and finish times, weather, recent rainfall, stream flow and survey conditions.
  • Record the length and location of each transect, observers, methods used and time spent searching.
  • If conditions are unsuitable, document the reason and reschedule rather than treating a non-detection as evidence of absence.

Survey methodology: 4. Hygiene and records

Apply strict amphibian hygiene at every site. Chytrid fungus is an immediate threat to this species, and field activities can spread pathogens between streams and populations.

  • Clean and disinfect footwear, nets, bags, callipers, headlamps, torches, waders and other equipment at the start of fieldwork and between sites.
  • Use one bag for one frog. Do not reuse bags.
  • Use clean disposable gloves for each animal or disinfect hands between samples.
  • Disinfect vehicle tyres where movement through high risk areas could transfer contaminated material.
  • Record all detections, calls, photographs, habitat features, handling, release locations and any signs of disease or injury.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and permits

Plan works around the frog's habitat, not just around the clearing footprint. Avoid stream disturbance wherever possible and resolve approval, survey and hygiene requirements before machinery or crews enter the site.

Have the environmental assessment determine whether the action may have a significant impact on the Tinkling Frog or its habitat. Make an EPBC Act referral where required, and do not start controlled action until the relevant approval pathway is resolved.

In Queensland, obtain the required authorities under Queensland threatened species and protected wildlife legislation. Where works may affect a breeding place, confirm whether a species management program, permit or other approval is required.

Confirm that fauna survey, handling, salvage and relocation personnel hold the permits and authorities required for the work. Include Wet Tropics and World Heritage Area requirements where they apply.

Commonwealth status: Critically endangered under the EPBC Act

Queensland status: Critically endangered

Queensland breeding place requirement: Tampering with a breeding place requires a species management program for protected wildlife where applicable

  • Keep copies of approvals, permits, conditions and contact details on site.
  • Make approval conditions part of the construction environmental management plan.
  • Do not assume a general fauna spotter catcher approval authorises work with a critically endangered frog or disturbance to its breeding place.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and site layout

Keep the stream, seepage and trickle habitat intact. Avoid clearing, sediment entry, altered drainage, water extraction, stream crossings and changes to natural flow.

Retain rocks, roots, logs, boulders and shaded riparian vegetation. These features provide shelter and calling sites.

  • Set out no-go areas before clearing starts, including the full stream corridor and adjoining seepage habitat identified by the ecologist.
  • Use existing access routes where possible and keep machinery out of streams and wet ground.
  • Prevent sediment, concrete washout, fuel, chemicals and spoil from entering waterways.
  • Do not move rocks, logs or roots unless the approved method specifically requires it and an authorised ecologist has assessed the action.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre-clearance survey and exclusion

Complete the targeted survey before disturbance. Search both banks and likely refuge areas during the day, then undertake night call and spotlight surveys during suitable conditions.

Mark all records and potential breeding places on site plans. The precise breeding place and egg-laying substrate are poorly known, so treat calling areas, occupied stream margins and aggregations of males as sensitive.

  • Use a suitably experienced herpetologist for the survey and habitat assessment.
  • Establish site specific exclusion areas around occupied habitat and breeding places in consultation with the approval holder and relevant regulator.
  • Use physical barriers and clear signs where exclusion areas could be entered accidentally.
  • Do not use a generic buffer as a substitute for a site assessment or approval condition.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Works planning and induction

There is no documented migration pattern for this species. Schedule works to avoid the calling and larval period from December to May where practicable, particularly in occupied stream habitat.

Brief every worker, subcontractor and visitor before entry. The induction should cover identification, habitat, exclusion areas, stop work rules, hygiene and reporting.

  • Nominate the fauna spotter catcher and an environmental manager with authority to stop work.
  • Provide maps showing streams, seepages, access routes, hygiene stations and no-go areas.
  • Keep clean and dirty equipment separate.
  • Do not allow workers to collect, handle or move frogs.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Use a slow, staged approach and keep a trained fauna spotter catcher present whenever work could affect stream habitat. Stop work immediately if a frog, breeding place or unexpected habitat feature is found.

Clear in small, defined stages from the least sensitive area towards retained habitat. Keep machinery, spoil and personnel out of marked stream and seepage exclusion areas.

Inspect rocks, roots, logs, boulders and wet ground before they are disturbed. Use hand tools where an authorised ecologist has approved disturbance near sensitive habitat.

  • Maintain continuous spotter catcher supervision during relevant works.
  • Pause between stages to inspect exposed ground and allow animals to move towards retained habitat where this is part of the approved method.
  • Stop work if water flow, sediment movement or habitat damage is greater than assessed.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Animal handling and stop work

Only authorised and trained personnel may capture, examine, contain or release a frog. Do not chase animals into water or turn cover unnecessarily.

The fauna spotter catcher must have clear authority to stop machinery and direct workers away from the animal or habitat.

  • Stop work and establish an exclusion area if a Tinkling Frog is found.
  • Photograph and identify the animal where this can be done without delay or additional handling.
  • Contact the environmental manager and follow the approved permit, species management program and relocation procedure.
  • Keep the frog cool, shaded and secure in a clean, single use container if temporary containment is authorised.
  • Do not move a frog across a catchment or to a different stream unless the approved translocation procedure specifically permits it.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Breeding places and aggregations

If calling males, eggs, larvae, juveniles or an active breeding place are found, stop the activity that could affect them. The breeding requirements and larval habitat of this species are poorly known, so use a precautionary response.

  • Protect the location, surrounding stream margin and water quality from entry, vibration, sediment and changes in flow.
  • Do not remove rocks, roots or logs associated with the breeding place.
  • Obtain advice from the approval holder and relevant Queensland regulator before work resumes.
  • Record the location, habitat, evidence of breeding, photographs, weather and actions taken.
  • Treat any group of calling males as a sensitive breeding aggregation until assessed by an experienced ecologist.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Injured or dead animals

If an animal is injured, minimise handling and place it in a clean, secure container only if authorised. Keep it shaded and away from heat, chemicals and direct sunlight.

  • Contact the nominated wildlife carer, veterinarian or wildlife authority identified in the project fauna procedure.
  • Do not release an injured animal without veterinary or wildlife authority direction.
  • Record the injury, likely cause, time, location, photographs, treatment and final outcome.
  • Report any death, disease sign, suspected chytrid infection or accidental habitat damage under the project approval conditions.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance inspection

Finish each work stage with a documented inspection. Post-clearance checks should confirm that no animals, breeding places or retained stream habitats have been overlooked and that controls remain effective.

Inspect the work area, retained stream margins, seepages, access routes and sediment controls after each clearing stage and after major rainfall or construction changes.

Check beneath disturbed cover and around drainage changes using a qualified observer. Do not carry out unnecessary searches in retained habitat.

  • Record the date, observers, area checked, weather, stream condition and findings.
  • Confirm that exclusion fencing, signs, sediment controls and hygiene stations remain in place.
  • Repair damaged controls before work continues.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Monitoring and reporting

Continue targeted monitoring where required by an approval, species management program or environmental management plan. Use consistent transects, methods and survey conditions so that results can be compared over time.

Report all detections, non-detections, calls, breeding evidence, injuries, deaths, hygiene breaches and habitat impacts to the project environmental manager and relevant regulators as required.

  • Provide final survey and incident records to the approval holder and project ecologist.
  • Update the site risk assessment if a frog or breeding place is detected.
  • Map all retained and impacted habitat and retain photographs that show pre-work and post-work conditions.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Relocated animals

Release a relocated frog only under the approved method and at suitable habitat agreed by the authorised ecologist. The release site should be within appropriate stream habitat and should not create a disease risk for another population.

Record the capture point, release point, date, time, container, handling duration, condition and person responsible.

  • Use clean equipment and a new bag for each animal.
  • Never release an animal into an unassessed stream or outside the approved release area.
  • Inspect the release area for suitable rocks, roots, logs, seepages, shade and clean flowing water.
  • Report failed, delayed or uncertain releases promptly.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review

Review every unexpected detection, injury, death, water quality event, hygiene breach and unauthorised habitat disturbance before the next work stage.

  • Identify the cause and whether controls failed.
  • Revise the clearing sequence, exclusion areas, supervision or hygiene procedure where needed.
  • Brief the workforce on the change and record that the briefing occurred.
  • Escalate repeated incidents to the approval holder and regulator.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Stream and riparian restoration

Rehabilitation should restore cool, shaded, clean stream habitat and natural water movement. Focus on the habitat features known to support this frog, rather than installing structures that suit other fauna groups.

Reinstate natural drainage and stable stream banks. Restore shaded riparian vegetation, seepages and trickle areas beside the stream.

Retain or replace natural cover such as rocks, boulders, roots and logs where this can be done without altering flow or spreading contaminated material.

  • Use local native rainforest species suited to the site and elevation.
  • Stabilise exposed soil with methods that prevent sediment entering the stream.
  • Keep rehabilitation works out of flowing water where practicable.
  • Do not import rocks, logs, soil or water from sites with unknown amphibian disease status.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Water quality and weeds

Maintain clean, perennial or naturally flowing stream habitat where that reflects the original site condition. Prevent changes in flow, ponding, dewatering, sedimentation and chemical contamination.

Control weeds by methods that protect frogs, stream margins and water quality.

  • Inspect sediment fences, drains, crossings and revegetation after rainfall.
  • Prevent herbicide, fertiliser, fuel and concrete products from entering streams.
  • Remove invasive plants before they dominate seepages or shade native regeneration.
  • Clean tools and footwear between catchments and rehabilitation sites.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Lighting and construction legacy

Keep artificial lighting away from stream margins and retained rainforest. Excess light can alter nocturnal activity and increase disturbance at calling sites.

  • Use only the lighting needed for safety and construction.
  • Direct lights away from water and riparian vegetation.
  • Use shielding and timers where practicable.
  • Remove temporary access tracks, hardstands and drainage controls that are no longer required, unless they form part of an approved long term design.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Replacement structures and monitoring

Nest boxes, bat boxes, artificial nest sites and roost structures are not established replacement measures for the Tinkling Frog. Its shelter and calling sites are associated with rocks, roots, logs, boulders, seepages and trickle areas beside streams.

Use artificial structures only if an experienced frog ecologist and the relevant regulator approve a site specific design. Natural habitat restoration should come first.

  • Monitor restored stream sections for vegetation recovery, bank stability, water quality, sediment and retained cover.
  • Repeat targeted frog surveys where required by the approval or recovery program, using consistent methods and suitable conditions.
  • Track maintenance needs and remove failed structures or materials that could obstruct flow or contaminate habitat.
  • Review monitoring results with the ecologist and adjust rehabilitation methods if the stream no longer provides suitable shaded refuge habitat.

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