Official Newsletter of the Queensland Frog Society Inc. Winter 2014 W: www.qldfrogs.asn.au | E : | Camps E: | In this edition... President’s Report (Click to go to page) Well winter has arrived or has it? I’m writing this report in what is President’s Report 1 being reported as the warmest start to winter in a long time. This Coordinators & Diary Dates 2 hasn’t really fooled too many of the frogs though as it has also From Jono 3 been drier than average and we are looking at a return to El Nino conditions (basically drought here in Queensland and many other Coordinator Reports 3 parts of Australia). Many areas across Queensland have already Who’s Who of the QFS 4 had very little rain in the summer and autumn just gone so the Local & International News 5 prospect of drought isn’t good news for breeding in many species Society News 8 of frog. The summer gone presented few breeding opportunities Frotography 10 for many of our frogs but hopefully those in your local area man- aged to squeeze in some raucous nights frenetically breeding! Executive Committee Jesse, our Vice President and I have been out conducting stream Patron - Dr Glen Ingram frog surveys with some of our colleagues during late April into President - Dan Ferguson early May. Even though the early part of the night remained warm Mob: 0438 337 545 we detected very few active frog species. The occasional sedge Email: frog (Litoria fallax) was all that could muster the energy to call, usually from high up in some streamside vegetation. Vice President - Jesse Rowland Email: As always, don’t forget we do have a number of frogs in Queens- land that breed and remain active over the winter months, so if you’re missing your fill of froggin then don’t despair, simply do a Secretary - Jenny Holdway little research on the winter breeding frogs of your area and don a Ph: 07 3366 1868 warm coat! Email: Over winter the committee receives a lot less frog related enquir- Treasurer - Janice Eckhardt ies but will remain busy preparing the Brisbane City Council funded Email: redesign of our Frogs of Brisbane poster, as well as conducting Newsletter & Web Admin educational displays and presentations. This poster will have up dated taxonomic information, new images and greater detail on Jono Hooper the identification of the introduced cane toad. It should be avail- Email: able by the summer – so keep an eye out in the summer edition of QFS Shop Sales the Frogsheet to find out how you can get one. Jenny Holdway Enjoy the warmer weather while it lasts! Also enjoy the new for- Ph: 07 3366 1868 mat Frogsheet – since going electronic Jono (Frogsheet editor) has Email: been doing a wonderful job packing the newsletter full of all sorts Postal Address of interesting frog information. QLD Frog Society Inc. Cheers, Dan PO Box 7017 East Brisbane, QLD Australia 4169 FROGSHEET - Winter 2014 1 Area Coordinators Diary Dates ASHGROVE QLD Garden Expo Jenny Holdway – Ph: 3366 1868 11, 12 & 13th July Email: Come and visit us and our display in BRIBIE ISLAND /CABOOLTURE the ‘Living Backyard’ at QLD’s largest Pauline Fitzgibbon – Ph: 3886 934 garden expo, Nambour. Items & free stuff Email: [email protected] available. BRISBANE CENTRAL Annual General Meeting th Stefan Durtschi – Ph: 3891 6853 4 October Email: [email protected] 10.30am – CWCN Centre, 47-57 Hepworth Street, Chapel Hill. Come listen BROOKFIELD to our guest speakers. Phil Bird Email: [email protected] SGAP Spring Flower Show 11 & 12th October BUNDABERG Botanical Gardens, Toowong. QFS Display David Flack and Sales Email: [email protected] Proposed Frog ID Workshop CHERMSIDE November, Mooloolah James Hansen – Mob: 0427 827 443 Email: [email protected] ESK QFS Management Meetings rd Jason Richard – Ph: 5424 2373 7:30pm, 3 Wednesday of every month Email: [email protected] All welcome! Phone/email Jenny. H for location. FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND Frog Habitat Site Working Bees Tyrone Lavery Bowman Park, Bardon Email: [email protected] 8-11am - Contact Phil for more info GOLD COAST Grinstead Park, Alderley (off Short Street) Shane Ho – Ph: 5533 8125 (AH) Contact Debbie Dolby for more info IPSWICH [email protected], Ph: 3355 4134 Brett Malcolm - Mob: 0407 673 458 Carseldine Bush Crew LOGAN CITY Cabbage Tree Creek, Carseldine Michael Kels – Ph: 3287 6752 Contact James Hansen for more info at Email: [email protected] [email protected]. MARY RIVER CATCHMENT Eva Ford - Mob: 0408 749 162 Working bees in frog habitat Email: [email protected] If you are undertaking bush-care in frog habitat PINE RIVERS and would like your working bee dates included Rod Pattison - Ph: 3264 6391 above, please email Jono at Email: [email protected] . REDLANDS Steve Homewood – Ph: 3824 0522 Email: [email protected] ROCKHAMPTON & CENTRAL QLD Bethlea Bell Email: john [email protected] SUNSHINE COAST __ Brittany Elliott - Mob: 0421 341 853 Continued –> Email: [email protected] 2 FROGSHEET - Winter 2014 From Jono Sunshine Coast’s World Environment Day, or- ganised by our Sunny Coast Coordinator Brittany HI Fellow Froggers, Elliott, followed by our always successful display at the QLD Garden Expo in July! Looking forward hilst we didn’t receive the downpour to meeting you at either events. as predicted for May, our first and only Wreal rain in late March provided excel- Cheers, lent opportunities to get out and get wet (de- Ashgrove Report pending on how deperate for frogging you were). s I have just returned from overseas where And you’ve guessed of course I for one was in I was dealing with family matters, I am not that ‘desperate’ category :P It was well worth it aware of any unusual frog activity for this though as I found my first Green-thighed frogs A time of the year and from what I can see of my (Litoria brevipal- garden, there hasn’t been a lot of rain during that mata), calling at time. I will be spending the winter months putting Pomona be- my garden back after 2 or 3 scrub turkeys called side a swollen it home over summer and I do hope my frogs watercourse, in haven’t move camp because of them. up to my knees of water! I also In April we had a very successful working bee at added another the David Avenue habitat section in Bowman Park four frog spe- Bardon. We have been working hard to eradicate cies to my a nasty weed, Dyschoriste depressa, which has sighted records which was an over-due achieve- taken hold though out the area. We left a huge ment in my opinion. pile of it for the council to pick up and hopefully destroy and we will have to continue to pluck out These next few months a looking quite exciting, any seedlings that appear. This weed is also in the despite what is now meant to be Winter. We have surrounding grassed area and the mowers help to our first ever presence at the University of the spread it as just a tiny portion will regrow. I do hope the members and friends who venture to Nambour for the Expo will call into the “Living Backyard” section and say “hello”. Cheers, Jenny Thanks to Ascot Print & Design Pty Ltd for printing Changed your email address? our Frogsheet header and Please notify the Secretary of your current QFS supported by the footer for free email address to avoid the risk of missing out Brisbance City Council on Frogsheet newsletters via email. Welcome and thanks to our Want to help spread the word? New Members If you’re a coordinator, why not set up a QFS display in at a community event and raise Kymberly Robinson, Ann, Peggy and Joyce awareness of our awesome frogs? No expert Bennett, Lindi Oliver, Susan and Michael Cully. knowledge is necessary, just a passion for QFS Public Trust Fund - Ric Nattrass frogs. Contact Jenny to arrange display and brochure pick-up. Research Grant The QFS Trust Fund was created with the Updated Diary Dates purpose to help save Queensland frogs through Please visit the QFS website for updated and education and research, and now stands at new events that arise between Frogsheet $4,534.62. newsletters. FROGSHEET - Winter 2014 3 Who’s Who of the QFS Helping out at displays and workshops is always interesting and fun. I also respond to phone calls e conclude the QFS Committee Mem- from people with queries about frogs ber Profiles in this newsletter edition. 2. How long have you been involved in the QFS? WJanece Eckhardt, Treasurer Since joining the QFS in 2003 I’ve very much en- 1. What duties do you perform as Treasurer? joyed attending many of weekend camps & local My role as Treasurer is to manage the monies of displays. the QFS. This mainly in- 3. What do you spend your volves processing invoices, time doing outside of your role recording expenses and in the QFS? receipts as well as monitor- Since retiring, I haven’t been ing bank statements. I also busier. I spent many years with watch the performance of the local SES, in both admin- our investment portfolio. istrative & operational roles. Financial statements are Had some very interesting & presented at each manage- challenging experiences work- ment meeting. Each year a ing as relief store manager in report is prepared for auditing by the accountant. remote communities. At home I love developing The audited accounts are presented at the AGM. a natural environment for birds, frogs and lizards.