Growing the Growlers

Restoring the Wirra-lo wetlands

Wetland Revival Trust have been awarded a Saving Native Species grant by the Australian Government to restore and expand the habitat of the Growling Grass Frog (GGF) population at Wirra-lo Wetlands – one of its last strongholds in North Central Victoria.

Practical actions are enhancing this critical refuge for GGF against the threats of climate change, predators, and altered hydrological regimes, ensuring the species is not only at reduced risk of extinction, but the healthy Wirra-lo population thrives and can be used as a donor population for reintroductions.

 

The project focuses on habitat restoration of vital aquatic vegetation, population monitoring and control programs for exotic fish and feral pigs. Wetland Revival is establishing and restoring over 10ha of additional wetlands through earthworks, improved hydrological regimes. More than 10 hectares of revegetation of aquatic and amphibious plant species is being undertaken. This is growing the existing GGF population by allowing them to expand into three additional wetlands with suitable breeding habitat.

The project is being co-implemented with local First Nations people that includes Wetland Revival staff and contractors, who lead on-ground activities including transplanting and installing wetland and drylands plants, pest control and fauna monitoring. Environmental water is being delivered to the site through a partnership with the Murray Darling Wetlands Working Group.

In addition to GGF, the project is benefiting other endangered species such as the Australasian Bittern and Stiff Groundsel through by increasing beneficial habitat quality and area for these species. 

If you’d like to learn more about Growling Grass Frogs, the North Central Catchment Management Authority has produced a fact sheet with key information on the frog which can be downloaded here.