The Booroolong Frog is a medium sized tree frog, with adults growing to about 5 cm. Their body-colour may be grey, olive or brown with indistinct black markings. The abdomen is white. The skin usually has a slightly warty appearance. The fingers and toes have well developed discs, and the toes are strongly webbed. The call is a soft, purring ‘craww craww craww’.
Distribution
The Booroolong Frog is restricted to NSW and north-eastern Victoria, predominantly along the western-flowing streams of the Great Dividing Range. It has disappeared from much of the Northern Tablelands, however several populations have recently been recorded in the Namoi catchment. The species is rare throughout most of the remainder of its range.
Habitat and ecology
- Live along permanent streams with some fringing vegetation cover such as ferns, sedges or grasses.
- Adults occur on or near cobble banks and other rock structures within stream margins.
- Shelter under rocks or amongst vegetation near the ground on the stream edge.
- Sometimes bask in the sun on exposed rocks near flowing water during summer.
- Breeding occurs in spring and early summer and tadpoles metamorphose in late summer to early autumn.
- Eggs are laid in submerged rock crevices and tadpoles grow in slow-flowing connected or isolated pools.