Growling grass frog basking on rock (credit: Geoff Heard)

Image Credit: Geoff Heard

Meet the Growling Grass Frog

  • one of Australia’s largest frog species
  • typically olive to emerald green with brown spotting and distinctive ‘warty’ backs.
  • shy and difficult to see
  • distinctive growling call – sounds like a motorbike

Where do they live?

Growling Grass Frogs usually live in still or slow-moving water pools filled with a range of aquatic plants, which they use for mating rituals and basking. They also like to live near open grasslands - perfect for foraging and hunting small insects.

Example of in-stream habitat for GGF

Why are they threatened?

The GGF was common throughout south east Australia but it’s now listed as nationally endangered. This is due to:

  • habitat loss
  • drought
  • diseases such as chytrid fungus
  • predation from foxes and cats
  • waterway pollution

Taking action to protect the Growling Grass Frog

We are working to protect and connect important populations of Growling Grass Frogs in Melbourne's growth areas. We will construct more than 80 purpose-built wetlands in ten high priority stretches of creeks and waterways across Melbourne's growth areas.

Habitat wetlands will also be created along the Werribee River, Jacksons Creek and Cardinia Creek. These creeks have the greatest chance of supporting thriving Growling Grass Frog populations.

Standards for creating purpose-built wetland habitats

We’ve created design standards on the best way to protect and build habitat for Growling Grass Frogs. The standards focus on:

  • creating effective breeding wetlands
  • reducing the impact of chytrid fungus.

The standards also cover adjacent habitat such as grassed areas, which are important for foraging, sheltering and moving between wetlands.

Keeping Growling Grass Frogs connected

All roads and crossings within a conservation areas must meet the Growling Grass Frog Crossing Design Standards. The standards ensure roads, railway lines and other infrastructure provide easy passage for frogs.

Protecting key breeding habitat

Within the Growling Grass Frog conservation areas, we’ve mapped out ‘areas of strategic importance.’ These areas protect existing and potential breeding habitat from disturbance. This helps partners and developers avoid and minimise impacts on the most critical parts of the Growling Grass Frog conservation areas.

Masterplan Area of Strategic Importance Example Mapping

To see where the Areas of Strategic Importance are Download spatial files or take a look at our Native Vegetation Information System (NVIM) .

Key documents

Growling Grass Frog Masterplan

Growling Grass Frog Masterplan for Melbourne’s Growth Corridors (PDF, 13.1 MB)

Habitat Design Standards

Growling Grass Frog Masterplan: Habitat Design Standards (PDF, 2.5 MB)

Crossing Design Standards

Growling Grass Frog Masterplan: Crossing Design Standards (PDF, 4.0 MB)

Sub-Regional Species Strategy for the Growling Grass Frog

Sub-Regional Species Strategy for the Growling Grass Frog (PDF, 8.1 MB)

More information

For more information about the MSA program, please contact msa.information@delwp.vic.gov.au

Page last updated: 26/04/21