Why Frogs? Getting wetland restoration right for the amphibian canaries in the coalmine

“…It’s really dry.”

Martin Potts crouches over the cracking soil at Clydebank Morass, running a hand over the yellowing grass. He grew up not far from here, seeing the land change through the seasons of his childhood.

Wetlands like this are meant to change; dry spells are part of the rhythm here. Martin has spent a decade helping restore this system so it can endure the toughest months. And fortunately, some unlikely allies are offering the clearest sign his efforts are paying off.

This is Gunaikurnai Country. On the edge of the Bass Strait on the Victorian coast lies a mosaic of lakes, wetlands and islands, painted with the vivid blues of the summer ocean and the dusty green of the eucalypt forests lining the shores. The Gippsland Lakes are Australia’s largest inland waterway system; a 60,000-hectare network of habitats including coastal lagoons, seagrass beds, salt marshes and freshwater marshes.

The biodiversity found here is internationally significant, with the lakes listed as a RAMSAR site in the 1980s. This is home for over 400 indigenous plant species and 300 native fauna species, including the rare Burrunan dolphin. Thousands of visitors frequent the lakes each year, people and animals alike. Migratory birds such as Latham’s Snipe and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers travel here from breeding grounds in Northeast Asia and Alaska, with some travelling a 20,000-kilometre round trip.

Part of the Gippsland Lakes wetland system, home to over 300 species of native wildlife and over 400 species of native wildlife.

While this landscape conjures memories for Martin of hazy summer evenings and a carefree childhood, this region has faced huge challenges throughout the years. 

“Unfortunately many of the Gippsland Lakes wetlands are turning estuarine in key areas,” says Martin, as he explains the complexity of Greening Australia’s work in the area.

“The system is naturally freshwater, fed from rivers that stretch across Victoria, but in the 1800s they artificially opened the entrance, letting in more saltwater. Increased salinity is a massive problem in these areas.”

This issue is exacerbated by water use for agriculture and industry, reduced rainfall, and increased sediments and nutrients flowing into the lakes. Alongside occasions of drought, fire and erosion, the lakes have needed a helping hand over the years. It’s these issues that led Martin to dedicate years of effort and passion to… frogs.

The frog problem

Over a decade ago, Greening Australia teamed up with the Love our Lakes crew to improve the health of the Gippsland Lakes. Not only were swathes of native trees planted alongside marshes and lagoons, a series of frog breeding ponds were established. These ponds offer refuges for frogs throughout the dry season, alleviating the increasing pressures of the changing landscape.

Vegetation establishing at the frog ponds in the Gippsland Lakes.

It’s a question Martin hears regularly: “why frogs? What have they got to do with land restoration?”

Martin describes the frogs of the Gippsland Lakes, particularly the Green and Golden  A Growling Grass frog within the Gippsland Lakes wetlands.[/caption]

Welcome to the world, little guy

As the weeks of summer pass and the temperatures creep into the 40s, the frog ponds begin to chirp with life. This is the time of year when monitoring these sites matters most. Summer places pressure on every part of the system. The suffocating heat of the day can cause water levels to drop and alter breeding sites rapidly.

It’s a Thursday evening in early January, and Martin has ventured out to spy on activity in the ponds. As the sun tips under the horizon, the first call breaks through. A Green and Golden Bell Frog announces itself from the edge of a pond, followed soon after by Growling Grass Frogs becoming active across several sites. Martin slows his pace, recording what he hears and sees along the water’s edge. A baby Growling Grass frog, no larger than Martin’s fingernail, clings to the reeds.

“Welcome to the world, little guy.”

Early breeding events like these indicate that the frog ponds and freshwater refuges are working as intended, offering stable places to breed even during the most challenging part of the year. 

A baby Growling Grass Frog spotted in the January 2026 breeding season. During this evening of monitoring, 30 baby frogs were spotted in just one frog breeding pond.

Community at the centre

Ten years ago, standing in these same landscapes felt very different. Because of the hard work by Martin and his fellow environmentalists in the region, the Gippsland Lakes are returning to what they once were. On that one Thursday night, Martin recorded 35 new baby Growling Grass Frogs with large numbers of tadpoles still developing. That’s an incredible validation of the work being done – and the work being done is thanks to a dedicated community, including the supporters of Greening Australia.

“If you’ve supported our frog work recently, I really appreciate it. It means I get to be out here doing what matters most – checking how the wetlands are holding up and how the frogs are going through summer,” said Martin.

“Summer is still the hardest time for these wetlands. Water levels drop, weeds take hold quickly, and it doesn’t take much for a breeding site to slip out of balance.”

“It’s a good feeling hearing frogs where there was silence. With ongoing care and support, we can make sure it stays that way.”
 
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