Sloane's Froglet

The endangered Sloane’s Froglet is one of Albury’s most significant native species. Learn about its habitat, how it is being protected and what developers need to know when planning in identified areas.

About Sloane's Froglet

Sloane’s Froglet (Crinia sloanei) is a small endangered frog found in parts of the Murray–Darling Basin. Albury supports one of the largest known populations in New South Wales, making local habitat protection important to the species’ survival.

Its distinctive call can be heard from autumn to spring.

Developing in Sloane's Froglet habitat

If your site is within identified Sloane's Froglet habitat, additional assessment and design requirements may apply. Review the Local Area Management Plan and Stormwater Wetland Design Guidelines before lodging your application.

Developing in Sloane's Froglet habitat

To help ensure a viable Sloane’s Froglet population into the future, AlburyCity has worked with the NSW Department of Planning, Infrastructure and Environment’s biodiversity team to implement the Sloane’s Froglet Stormwater Wetland Design Guidelines. These guidelines acknowledge that the environmental network alone is not enough to support the species and that there is a need to create connected breeding habitat on developable land.

Since the implementation of the guidelines, development (that has a requirement to implement a storm water system) that is within the Sloane’s Froglet LAMP area (Local Area Management Plan) requires the construction of wetlands that provide suitable breeding habitat for Sloane’s Froglet whilst still providing the water quality outcomes that are required per state regulations.

Local Area Management Plan Area (LAMP)

Hear the Sloane's Froglet

Listen to the distinctive breeding call and learn how to identify the species.

Video/Photo Credit: David Hunter DPIE

They are a dynamic frog species and can be found in a wide range of natural and constructed wetlands across Albury. Some key features that Sloane’s Froglet prefer and utilise for breeding include:

Locations that are subject to periodic inundation like a Gilgai (a type of wetland)
Wetlands that contain areas of shallow water (that are vegetated) and have gentle sloping banks and
The presence of structured and small-stemmed vegetation, which is really important for the attachment of eggs (e.g Common Spike Rush Eleocharis acuta)

Environmental Lands Network

The Environmental Lands Network managed by AlburyCity plays an important role in the ongoing protection of the Sloane’s Froglet. These natural areas provide corridors for the species to disperse across the landscape and wetlands to use as refuge in the drier summer months. Other locations in Albury where you can find the species include Mungabareena Reserve and Wonga Wetlands.

Habitat and distribution

Sloane’s Froglet lives in shallow, still or slow-moving wetlands with dense vegetation and gently sloping banks. Breeding sites may include natural wetlands, periodically inundated areas and purpose-built stormwater wetlands.

Protecting Sloane’s Froglet

AlburyCity manages wetlands and other environmental lands to protect breeding areas, improve habitat and maintain healthy frog populations. We work with government agencies, environmental specialists and community partners to support the species’ long-term recovery.

Help protect Sloane's Froglet

The Sloane's Froglet depends on healthy wetlands, clean water and connected habitat. Learn how Council, developers and the community are helping to protect one of Albury's most significant threatened species.

Learn about wetlands

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Size: Adults are about 25mm in length
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Conservation status: NSW: Vulnerable
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Commonwealth: Endangered

How you can help!

Are you interested in finding out if the Sloane’s Froglet occurs in your area or would like to help monitor frogs across Albury?

It’s easy with the help of citizen science programs like Frog I.D, Albury Wodonga Nature Map or iNaturalist. These apps can be downloaded on a smart phone and allow you to record a frog call which can then be identified and verified by local experts and professionals in the field. This is important as all verified records feed into the national database (The Atlas of Living Australia) so we can all learn more about these amazing animals and where they occur in the landscape.

Woolshed Thurgoona Landcare Group have been monitoring frogs across the Thurgoona Wirlinga area since 2018. The Sloane’s Champions monitoring program is helping researchers better understand the Sloane’s Froglet distribution and how it changes over time.