Inner West creating frog-friendly habitat on Threatened Species Day

Media release: 9 September 2016

Cool shady corners, grassy vegetation or ponds bathed in sunlight? What habitat does a threatened frog which resides in Sydney prefer? A variety of groups joined forces this week to help save the endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog (GGBF) on Threatened Species Day (7 September).

Representatives from local and state government met with other land managers and scientists to learn how to create and maintain frog ponds at a GGBF Demonstration Day held at Sydney Olympic Park.

The event, hosted by the Sydney Olympic Park Authority (SOPA) in partnership with the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), included a tour to see some of the 70 constructed frog ponds in 120 hectares of precious GGBF habitat within Sydney Olympic Park.

OEH Senior Threatened Species Officer Deb Ashworth said the Green and Golden Bell Frog is very fortunate because it has a number of people working to protect it.

“The NSW Government’s Saving Our Species program funded the recent pond rehabilitation works at Sydney Olympic Park, which the group was shown as part of the tour.

“Sydney Olympic Park Authority has many years of experience adaptively managing the Green and Golden Bell Frog habitat at Sydney Olympic Park, so today was about sharing that knowledge.

“The Park’s population of Green and Golden Bell Frogs is one of the largest in NSW and the event demonstrated how we need to work together to conserve and enhance important habitat for this rare frog.”

The Green and Golden Bell Frog is between 4½ and 10 cm long and usually a vivid green colour with bits of gold, bronze and brown. Although some frogs may be almost entirely green or bronze.

Why not create frog habitat in your backyard? If it’s safe to do so, why not add a pond to your garden. Learn how to create a bell frog-friendly pond here.

If you think you have seen a Green and Golden Bell Frog report your frog sightings to OEH by calling the Environment Line on 131 555.

Want to learn more? Anyone interested in learning more about frogs are welcome to attend the next Frog and Tadpole Study Group meeting at Bicentennial Park on Friday 7 October. You can register here.

Join a guided tour of Sydney Olympic Park? SOPA offers public guided tours to frog habitats within the Brickpit. The next tour will be Saturday10 September.

Images are available here.

Contact: Leah Slattery