When you step outside on a warm Melbourne evening, those chirps, croaks, and trills aren’t just background noise—they’re conversations among some of the city’s most fascinating residents.
Melbourne hosts nine distinctive frog species, each with unique calls, colors, and habitats that make them surprisingly easy to identify once you know what to look for.
Whether you’re exploring wetlands in the outer suburbs or discovering frogs in your own backyard pond, understanding these types of frogs in Melbourne transforms every encounter into an opportunity for connection with urban wildlife.
You’ll find these amphibians thriving in parks, gardens, creeks, and constructed wetlands throughout the metropolitan area.
Some species have adapted remarkably well to urban environments, while others require specific habitat conditions that make spotting them more challenging.
This guide walks you through each species, giving you the identification markers, habitat preferences, and listening tips you need to become confident in recognizing Melbourne’s native frogs.
Southern Brown Tree Frog
The Southern Brown Tree Frog brings a rich, resonant “craw-craw-craw” to Melbourne’s soundscape, particularly during spring and summer breeding seasons.
You’ll recognize this species by its chocolate brown to pale tan coloring, often with darker streaks running down the back. Growing up to 45mm in length, these medium-sized frogs have distinctive large toe pads that help them climb vegetation and building surfaces with ease.
Key Insight: The Southern Brown Tree Frog often breeds in temporary water bodies like roadside ditches and flooded areas, making suburban environments surprisingly suitable habitat if water is available during spring.
Look for Southern Brown Tree Frogs in gardens with dense vegetation, around outdoor lights where insects congregate, and near water features. They’re excellent climbers and often perch on walls, windows, and garden furniture.
During the day, they hide under bark, in tree hollows, or beneath dense ground cover. The species has adapted well to urban areas, and you might spot them in unexpected places like downpipes or tucked behind outdoor decorations.
These frogs breed from August through March, with peak activity during warmer, humid nights. Males call from vegetation near water, creating choruses that can be heard from considerable distances.
Their tadpoles develop relatively quickly compared to other species, taking approximately 10-12 weeks to metamorphose depending on water temperature and food availability.
Eastern Banjo Frog (Pobblebonk)
If you’ve heard a distinctive “bonk” sound near Melbourne wetlands, you’ve encountered the iconic Pobblebonk—more formally known as the Eastern Banjo Frog.
This robust species produces one of Australia’s most recognizable frog calls, a single deep note that sounds remarkably like plucking a banjo string. The species name perfectly captures this musical quality that echoes across wetlands during breeding season.
These solid, muscular frogs reach up to 75mm in length, making them one of Melbourne’s larger species. Their coloration varies from grey-brown to olive-green with darker patches and a prominent pale stripe running from beneath the eye to the shoulder. You’ll notice their smooth, glossy skin and powerful hind legs built for both swimming and burrowing.
Where to Find Them:
- Permanent water bodies including dams, ponds, and constructed wetlands
- Vegetated creek lines with still or slow-moving water
- Parks with established wetland areas like Braeside Park and Jells Park
- Urban ponds with adequate depth and aquatic vegetation
Eastern Banjo Frogs are excellent burrowers, spending dry periods underground in self-constructed chambers. During drought conditions, they can remain dormant for extended periods, emerging only when significant rainfall provides breeding opportunities.
Males call while floating in open water, their bodies inflated like small balloons as they produce their signature banjo-like notes. The breeding season extends from August through February, though calling intensifies after heavy rain.
Females lay large numbers of eggs attached to underwater vegetation, and the tadpoles grow quite large—up to 80mm—before metamorphosing. These tadpoles have distinctive golden-bronze coloring that helps with identification in ponds where multiple species breed.
Common Froglet
Don’t let the modest name fool you—the Common Froglet packs personality into its tiny 25mm frame. This diminutive species produces a surprisingly loud “crick-crick-crick” call that rises in pitch, often mistaken for an insect until you trace the source. Common Froglets display remarkable color variation, ranging from pale grey to dark brown, sometimes with distinctive dark patches or marbling patterns.
Pro Tip: Common Froglets call from concealed positions in grass tussocks and leaf litter rather than from water, making them harder to locate despite their loud calls. Listen for the distinctive rising pitch that separates them from insect sounds.
You’ll find these tiny amphibians in grasslands, open woodlands, and suburban gardens throughout Melbourne. They prefer areas with dense ground cover where they can remain hidden from predators while still accessing small invertebrate prey. Unlike many frog species, Common Froglets often call during daylight hours, particularly on overcast days or during light rain.
These frogs breed in shallow, temporary water bodies including puddles, flooded grasslands, and the edges of larger water bodies. Their breeding strategy capitalizes on ephemeral water sources that lack predatory fish.
Tadpoles develop rapidly—often within 6-8 weeks—allowing them to complete metamorphosis before temporary pools dry out. This adaptation makes them particularly successful in urban environments where temporary flooding creates breeding opportunities.
Common Froglets have expanded their range in association with urban development, taking advantage of irrigated parks and gardens. They’re often one of the first frog species to colonize newly created habitat, making them excellent indicators of restoration success in urban wetland projects.
Striped Marsh Frog
The Striped Marsh Frog announces its presence with a distinctive “tok… tok… tok” call that sounds like a tennis ball being repeatedly struck. This species ranks among Melbourne’s most adaptable and commonly encountered frogs, thriving in both natural wetlands and human-modified landscapes.
Adult frogs reach approximately 65mm in length and display characteristic pale stripes running down their backs against a brown or grey base color. Their adaptability to urban environments makes Striped Marsh Frogs particularly valuable for backyard wildlife habitat creation.
These frogs readily use garden ponds, demonstrating how residential landscapes can support native biodiversity when designed with appropriate features. The species tolerates a wide range of water quality conditions, though they still require adequate aquatic vegetation and basking sites.
Common Mistake: Many people assume Striped Marsh Frogs only live in pristine wetlands, but they’re actually more tolerant of urban pollution and habitat modification than most other Melbourne species. This makes them ideal for citizen science frog monitoring in suburban areas.
Look for Striped Marsh Frogs near virtually any water body in Melbourne—from constructed stormwater wetlands to backyard fish ponds. They’re particularly abundant around the edges of larger water bodies where aquatic vegetation meets terrestrial habitat. During the day, they shelter under logs, rocks, and dense vegetation, emerging at night to feed on insects and other small invertebrates.
The breeding season runs from September through March, with males calling from water’s edge or while floating among aquatic plants. Females lay eggs in clumps attached to submerged vegetation, and the tadpoles are relatively large and robust, often forming dense schools in shallow water. These tadpoles feed primarily on algae and detritus, playing an important role in nutrient cycling within aquatic ecosystems.
Spotted Marsh Frog
Spotted Marsh Frogs create a rapid, machine-gun-like “uck-uck-uck-uck” call that distinguishes them from other Melbourne species. These medium-sized frogs (up to 45mm) wear a warty skin texture decorated with irregular spots or blotches against a brown or grey background.
The pattern provides excellent camouflage among leaf litter and mud, making stationary frogs remarkably difficult to spot despite their relatively large size.
Comparison: Striped vs. Spotted Marsh Frogs
| Feature | Striped Marsh Frog | Spotted Marsh Frog |
|---|---|---|
| Call | Slow “tok… tok… tok” | Rapid “uck-uck-uck-uck” |
| Pattern | Distinct pale stripes | Irregular spots/blotches |
| Size | Up to 65mm | Up to 45mm |
| Skin Texture | Relatively smooth | Distinctly warty |
| Habitat Preference | Wide range of water bodies | Prefers vegetated shallow waters |
You’ll encounter Spotted Marsh Frogs in wetlands, flooded grasslands, and along creek lines throughout Melbourne. They show a preference for areas with abundant emergent vegetation like reeds and rushes, which provide both calling sites and protection from predators.
The species has adapted to some urban environments but remains more sensitive to habitat degradation than the closely related Striped Marsh Frog.
Breeding occurs primarily from October through February, coinciding with warmer temperatures and longer daylight hours. Males establish calling territories in shallow water, often creating intense choruses where multiple males compete for female attention.
The rapid-fire nature of their calls creates an impressive wall of sound in suitable breeding habitats. Eggs are laid in small clumps, and the tadpoles are relatively nondescript, requiring careful observation for accurate identification when multiple species share breeding sites.
Growling Grass Frog
The Growling Grass Frog holds special significance as Victoria’s only threatened frog species found in Melbourne’s metropolitan area. This magnificent amphibian reaches up to 100mm in length, making it Australia’s second-largest frog species.
You’ll identify Growling Grass Frogs by their vibrant emerald green coloring with golden spots, cream-colored belly, and the characteristic warty texture that gives them a prehistoric appearance.
Important Note: The Growling Grass Frog is listed as vulnerable in Victoria. If you encounter this species, report your sighting to the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas to contribute to conservation monitoring efforts. Avoid handling unless absolutely necessary for identification.
Their call resembles a long, deep growl—”crawwww-crawww”—that carries across wetlands during breeding season. However, finding Growling Grass Frogs requires targeted searching in their remaining habitat strongholds.
The species has experienced dramatic population declines due to habitat loss, disease, and predation by introduced fish species. In Melbourne, your best chances for spotting them include:
- Merri Creek and its associated wetlands in the northern suburbs
- Constructed wetlands specifically designed with Growling Grass Frog habitat requirements
- Protected remnant wetland systems in growth corridors
- Nature reserves with permanent water and extensive aquatic vegetation
Growling Grass Frogs require complex habitat featuring permanent water, abundant aquatic and emergent vegetation, and terrestrial refuge sites within 200 meters of water.
They’re particularly vulnerable during the terrestrial phase of their lifecycle, when juveniles and adults move between wetlands through connecting grassland corridors. Urban development that fragments these movement pathways threatens population persistence.
Conservation efforts focus on creating and protecting habitat corridors between isolated populations. Many new developments in Melbourne’s growth corridors now include purpose-built wetlands designed to Growling Grass Frog specifications, featuring graduated depths, native vegetation, and fish exclusion structures.
These constructed wetlands demonstrate how urban planning can integrate biodiversity conservation when species requirements inform design.
The breeding season extends from September through February, though calling and breeding activity intensifies after significant rainfall events. Females lay large egg masses containing hundreds of eggs, typically attached to submerged vegetation.
The tadpoles grow exceptionally large—up to 85mm—and may take 6-12 months to complete metamorphosis, much longer than most other Melbourne species.
Peron’s Tree Frog
Peron’s Tree Frog brings both visual appeal and vocal variety to Melbourne’s frog community. These charming climbers reach approximately 65mm in length and display grey, brown, or grey-green coloring with a distinctive cross-shaped pattern on the back.
But their most striking feature remains hidden until needed—bright yellow or orange coloring in the groin and on the thighs, revealed when the frog leaps. This flash coloring startles predators, providing a brief moment for escape.
Their call presents a distinctive “cree-cree-cree-cree” that rises and falls in pitch, somewhat resembling maniacal laughter when multiple males call together.
Peron’s Tree Frogs are accomplished climbers with large toe pads, allowing them to scale vegetation, rocks, and even smooth surfaces like windows. During the day, they often hide in tree hollows, behind loose bark, or in crevices in rocks and buildings.
You’ll find Peron’s Tree Frogs near water bodies with adjacent woodland or forest, particularly in Melbourne’s outer suburbs and fringe areas where natural habitat remains. They breed in:
- Dams and farm ponds surrounded by trees
- Forest creeks with vegetated banks
- Rocky gullies with permanent or semi-permanent water
- Constructed wetlands adjacent to bushland remnants
The breeding season runs from October through February, with males calling from elevated perches in vegetation overhanging water.
Unlike many tree frogs that call from within or very near water, Peron’s Tree Frogs often call from branches several meters above the water surface. Females lay eggs in loose clusters that sink to the bottom, and the tadpoles have a distinctive appearance with high tail fins and a golden-brown coloration.
Peron’s Tree Frogs demonstrate fascinating behavior when threatened. Beyond the flash coloring mentioned earlier, they can inflate their bodies and rise up on extended legs, creating a larger, more intimidating appearance. Some individuals produce a glue-like skin secretion that can irritate predators’ mouths, though this secretion is harmless to humans during normal handling.
Blue-motion Froglet (Smooth Froglet – Victorian Form)
The species previously known as the Blue-motion Froglet has been reclassified as the Victorian form of the Smooth Froglet, though you might still hear the older name used in local field guides and conversations.
This tiny species (18-30mm) produces a high-pitched “creee-creee-creee” call from concealed positions in vegetation and leaf litter. Their small size and cryptic behavior make them one of Melbourne’s most easily overlooked frog species.
These diminutive frogs display smooth skin—hence their current name—in shades of grey, brown, or olive, sometimes with darker flecking.
A pale stripe often runs down the center of the back, and their undersides range from white to cream-colored. The “blue-motion” portion of their former name referred to a blue flash visible in the thigh area of some individuals when moving.
Pro Tip: Smooth Froglets (Victorian form) are most easily detected by call rather than visual searching. Their high-pitched calls rise above other frog choruses, and patient listening can reveal their presence in habitats where visual searching would be futile.
Look for Smooth Froglets in moist areas with dense ground cover, including:
- Grass tussocks in heathy woodland
- Dense vegetation along creek lines
- Moist areas of suburban gardens with leaf litter
- Edges of wetlands where terrestrial vegetation meets water
Unlike many frog species that breed in standing water, Smooth Froglets often breed in seepage areas, shallow swampy ground, and the edges of water bodies where water depth rarely exceeds a few centimeters.
This breeding strategy reduces exposure to aquatic predators but requires persistent moisture throughout the tadpole development period.
The breeding season extends from September through February, though calling and breeding activity correlates strongly with rainfall events.
Males call from protected positions within dense vegetation, making them difficult to locate despite being relatively close. Females lay small clutches of eggs in shallow water or very moist soil, and the tadpoles develop relatively quickly when conditions remain favorable.
Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog (Introduced/Occasional)
The Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog represents an interesting case in Melbourne’s frog community—this species is not native to Victoria and appears only occasionally, likely through accidental introduction via transported plants and building materials from New South Wales and Queensland.
These tiny tree frogs (25-30mm) are delicate climbers with smooth skin, prominent toe pads, and coloration ranging from bright green to brown depending on temperature and activity level.
Important Note: As a non-native species, Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs don’t technically belong in Melbourne’s ecosystem. However, isolated individuals or small populations cause minimal ecological concern compared to other introduced species like fish or foxes. Report sightings to help researchers track their occurrence.
Their call consists of a high-pitched, insect-like “peep-peep-peep” repeated rapidly. If you encounter this species in Melbourne, you’re most likely to find it in nurseries, garden centers, or recently landscaped areas where interstate plants have been installed.
Established breeding populations appear to be absent from Melbourne, with most sightings representing isolated individuals rather than sustainable populations.
The species identification requires careful attention to distinguish Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs from juvenile native tree frogs:
| Feature | Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog | Native Tree Frogs (Juvenile) |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 25-30mm (adult) | Varies by species |
| Pupil Shape | Horizontal | Varies (usually horizontal in tree frogs) |
| Toe Pads | Very prominent for size | Present but proportionally smaller |
| Native Range | NSW/QLD | Victoria |
| Call | Rapid insect-like peeping | Species-specific variations |
Melbourne’s climate sits at the cooler edge of this species’ natural range, which may explain why populations haven’t established despite occasional introductions. The species thrives in warmer, subtropical conditions and requires specific breeding habitat that may not be readily available in Melbourne’s urban environment.
If you discover what you believe is an Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog, photograph it and note the exact location. This information helps researchers understand the extent of introductions and whether any populations are persisting beyond initial establishment.
While not considered a major threat to native frog species, monitoring introduced species remains important for maintaining Melbourne’s ecological integrity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Spring and early summer (September through December) offer peak frog activity when most species are breeding and calling. However, different species remain active at different times, and you can find frogs year-round in Melbourne with varying levels of activity.
In Victoria, you don’t need a permit for brief handling to identify frogs, but the Growling Grass Frog is protected and should not be handled except by licensed researchers. Always minimize handling time and ensure your hands are clean and wet before touching any frog.
Create a pond with shallow edges, avoid using pesticides, maintain dense ground cover vegetation, provide logs and rocks for shelter, and leave leaf litter in garden beds. Even small water features can attract several Melbourne frog species if designed properly.
While most Melbourne frogs call primarily at night, species like the Common Froglet regularly call during overcast days and light rain. Temperature, humidity, and breeding urgency all influence calling behavior beyond simple day-night patterns.
Frog species face multiple threats including habitat loss, disease (particularly chytrid fungus), pollution, and climate change. The Growling Grass Frog is particularly vulnerable, while more adaptable species like Striped Marsh Frogs show greater resilience to environmental changes.
Conclusion
Melbourne’s frogs face ongoing challenges from habitat loss, water pollution, introduced predators, and climate change. You can contribute to their conservation through simple actions: create frog-friendly garden spaces, report sightings to citizen science platforms, avoid using pesticides that poison invertebrate prey, and support wetland protection initiatives in your local area.
When you learn to identify the types of frogs in Melbourne, every evening walk becomes an opportunity for discovery. These nine species—from the thunderous Pobblebonk to the tiny Smooth Froglet—represent millions of years of evolutionary adaptation and play crucial roles in urban ecosystems as both predators of insects and prey for larger animals.
By understanding where to look and what to listen for, you’ll transform your relationship with Melbourne’s soundscape, recognizing the rich amphibian community that shares your city.
