“The Find a Frog in February program runs annually in the Sunshine Coast, Noosa, Gympie and Fraser Coast council regions. It is delivered by the Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee (MRCCC) and has involved over 1800 people since its inception nine years ago. To get involved, contact MRCCC via email findafrog@mrccc.org.au or online http://mrccc.org.au/frog-in-february/ or phone 5482 4766.”.

The Bandy Bandy is a striking nocturnal burrowing snake that is infrequently encountered and usually observed after heavy periods of rain in the warmer months.

This time last year, Land for Wildlife members and others gathered at the Gheerulla Community Hall for the annual Find a Frog in February workshop. Delivered by Sunshine Coast Council in partnership with the Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee (MRCCC), landholders learnt about frogs and practical solutions to help minimise the threats our local frogs are facing. After the presentations, everyone went on to survey the creeks and dams on Tracy and David’s nearby Land for Wildlife property.

Tracy and David manage a 117 hectare cattle farm that integrates grazing, regenerative agriculture and nature conservation. The property contains 1.85 kilometres of Belli Creek frontage as well as frontage along Cherry Tree Creek. Their property contains ecologically significant habitat, including core Koala habitat, endangered Regional Ecosystems and Critically Endangered Lowland Rainforest of Sub-tropical Australia.

The stunning Giant Barred Frog is a threatened frog found in close proximity to running water, along creeks and rivers in areas with decent stands of wet sclerophyll forest or rainforest.

Some of the highlights found during the surveys included a Bandy Bandy (Vermicella annulata) much to the crowd’s delight, as well as threatened Tusked Frogs (Adelotus brevis), Ornate Burrowing Frogs (Platyplectrum ornatum), Green Treefrogs (Litoria caerulea), Eastern Sedgefrogs (Litoria fallax) and Graceful Treefrogs (Litoria gracilenta).

Follow-up surveys detected an exciting find – a healthy population of threatened Giant Barred Frogs (Mixophyes iteratus) and Great Barred Frogs (Mixophyes fasciolatus) along nearby rocky creek lines. This was despite recent flooding, significant rainfall and fast flowing waterways, creating tricky conditions for both the frogs and those out looking for them!

David and Tracy’s property successfully demonstrates how agriculture and conservation can be effectively combined for the benefit of the environment and native wildlife, whilst also supporting livelihoods.

The keen group of ‘froggers’ surveying a creekline on Tracy and David’s property.

As Tracy said, “From a farming point of view, working with the Land for Wildlife program makes sense – we all want the same outcome, to be sustainable. It’s about being kind to country and working with mother nature not against her.”

Supported by Sunshine Coast Council’s Landholder Environmental Grants, Tracy and David have installed stock exclusion fencing and off-stream watering points to restrict cattle access to sensitive riparian areas. Weed control works targeting Small-leaf Privet, Camphor Laurel, Lantana and Chinese Elm have resulted in a noticeable improvement to the health and condition of riparian vegetation by providing direct benefits such as reduced erosion and improvements to water quality downstream.

“Without the assistance from Sunshine Coast Council grants and incentives, such outcomes are unlikely to have been achieved due to competing priorities that come with managing a property like this”, said Tracy.

The Sunshine Coast Council Conservation Partnerships Team has also facilitated several fauna surveys on David and Tracy’s property finding Platypus, Koala and a Brush-tailed Phascogale plus lots of other wildlife. With more revegetation and weed control planned for this year, we look forward to continuing this rewarding partnership with Tracy, David and their family.

Article and photos by Stephanie Keys
Land for Wildlife Officer
Sunshine Coast Council

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