Our project aimed to create a breeding haven for the Green and Golden Bell Frog to support population growth for this declining species.

The Threats to Their Population and Habitat

From landfill and brick pits to golf courses, Green and Golden Bell Frogs have a peculiar habit of appearing in unlikely and disturbed habitats. Once an extremely common species across all of Sydney, now has only about 40 of its population left. The species has been suffering an ongoing decline and shrinking of their distribution since the 1970s. Loss of ideal habitat, and pressures from predators including native waterbirds, introduced Mosquito Fish and feral cats, are contributing factors behind why they are being found in degraded and unlikely habitats. This presents an urgent need for the creation and restoration of high quality, predator free habitat for the species.

Project Details

Our team has been working with the Sydney Olympic Park Authority to manage existing ponds to bring back much needed habitat for the Green and Golden Bell Frog. Kronos Hill is a wildlife corridor extending for 1.5km encompassing an area of remediated landfill adjacent to Haslam’s Creek. Currently there are a range of restoration projects being undertaken at the site. The pre-existing site’s ponds were suffering from sedimentation and were lacking appropriate shelter to protect struggling local Green and Gold Bell Frogs from predators.

To address these issues and provide a stable habitat for the species our team worked on restoring the ponds. We first started by draining existing water from the site’s ponds to eradicate the introduced Mosquito Fish. These Mosquito Fish decimate Green and Golden Bell Frog tadpoles, therefore hindering local breeding populations. Our team then removed thick accumulated sediment. This assisted in making way for the installation of impermeable pond liners, facilitating improved water retention and conforming to Green and Golden Bell Frog preference for habitat disturbance. Frog-friendly netting was then installed above the ponds to reduce predator access to breeding frogs and tadpoles. Due to the species apparent preference for ephemeral ponds and fluctuating water levels, the ponds were filled naturally with rainwater and runoff over time to entice the species to disperse to the site.

Continuing our support for the Green and Golden Bell Frog, this project not only aimed to provide the species with a safe space to live, but also to provide a breeding haven, free from the pressures of predators and degraded habitat. Our efforts will hopefully result in unhindered breeding site and facilitate increased dispersal of the species to other potential habitat sites in the locality.