Toadlet of Darkes Forest

The Illawarra is full of special critters, including some rare species. Sometimes you just need to know where to look. But more often than not, it’s just sheer dumb luck that has you uncovering, literally, a very special amphibian indeed.

Darkes Forest is one of those magical places that I just can’t get enough of. There’s Maddens Falls, which is at the end of an easy walk, the top of the falls lined with pools containing tadpoles and frogs. There are also amazing walks dotted around the area, lined with towering gums and old man banksias. Every time we go there, we find something new.

But I never expected to come across the pint-sized Red-Crowned Toadlet! This amphibian is listed as ‘vulnerable’ and with such a limited distribution – it is found only in the Sydney Basin, from Polkobin in the North, south to Nowra and out west to Mt Victoria in the Blue Mountains – they are at high risk of extinction.

I just happened to turn over a piece of large bark at the side of the path, finding a handful of Marbled Scorpions, which to me was exciting in itself. But after a minute or two ‘wowing’ over our find, my husband noticed something painted with an orange-reddish tint.

That thing was the very distinctive coloured ‘T’ shape on the very small toadlet’s head. And by small, I mean they only get to around 3cm in length and, amongst the dark earth and the decay of fallen leaves, it was incredibly hard to see.

That damp leaf litter though, plays an important role in their life cycle. The eggs, which can be laid at any time of the year, usually after rain, are laid in moist leaf litter, under rocks and bark and close to temporary soaks and gutters. When it next heavily rains, the eggs are washed from the nesting site and into temporary pools where, depending on the weather, they take between one to six months to hatch.

While all finds are exciting, some finds are definitely more special than others. And this particular find proves, once again, how lucky we are here in the Illawarra.