General News
15 November, 2026
Help identify frogs in your area
Ararat Landcare remind us it’s FrogID Week. Organised by the Australian Museum, it’s Australia's biggest frog count, held each year, encouraging anyone with a smartphone to record frog calls through the free FrogID app, to help better understand frogs and environmental health around the country.
The Museum tell us that frogs play a critical role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem, acting as both predator and prey, recognising their high sensitivity to environmental changes.
The ninth FrogID Week event is on now from Friday 6 November to Sunday 15 November 2026 so it’s almost passed, but the Frog ID app is available to keep up with the frogs in your area at anytime by downloading from a favourite app store.
Australia is home to about 240 species of native Amphibians, all of which are frogs. In urban areas, human development has reduced the natural habitat available to frogs. The Museum FrogID Week is a great and fun way to learn about frogs living in your backyard.
From croaks and barks, to whistles and bleats, every frog species makes a one of a kind sound. Landcare’s President Celina Day tells The Advocate the Pobblebonk’s call is a distinctive bonk bonk bonk.
“Cemetery Creek has water right now and Pobblebonks can easily be heard. Stand at the Beveridge Street bridge and you will be sure to hear them,” Celina said.
The common eastern toadlet is a tiny frog - only 3cm in size and very commonly heard but rarely seen. They are widespread across south-eastern Australia. Their call is a repetitive “crick, crick, crick, crick, crick,” said Celina.
Using the free FrogID app, you can record the frogs calling around you and help count Australia’s frogs. It monitors frog populations and distributions over time, helping to understand how frogs live and how they are responding to a changing planet.
Jim Stringer from Ararat Landcare said local residents can create a frog friendly garden.
"Frogs are very sensitive to water loss because their skin is porous and spongy. This also means frogs are really sensitive to chemicals," he said.
“Frogs can end up absorbing chemicals like pesticides that could harm or potentially even kill them. Pesticides can also deplete the frogs’ food source, so do think about whether you really need to use these chemicals,” he said.
"You can encourage frogs to come to live and breed in your backyard by creating a frog friendly garden. Create a small shallow pond in an area that is partly shaded or install a Frog Hotel," Jim said.
You can go online and follow the suggestions to create one of these easy and attractive homes for frogs.
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