# Heathcote National Park Herping



## Reptile_Maniac (Jan 12, 2014)

Any one know good places to herp around heathcote national park? I heard pipeline road is good. 

Thanks,
James


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## Chris82 (Jan 13, 2014)

Just get out there! You can see some great herps plus amphibians all through that area


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## JasonL (Jan 13, 2014)

Any of the tracks in the royal or heathcote will produce, just have to do the hard yards and walk them again and again...


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## Reptile_Maniac (Jan 13, 2014)

Chris82 said:


> Just get out there! You can see some great herps plus amphibians all through that area



What species of frogs have you spotted there Chris?


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## Chris82 (Jan 13, 2014)

Off the top of my head,

Green tree frog, _Litoria caerulea
_Bleating tree frog_, __Litoria dentata
_Eastern Dwarf tree frog, _Litoria fallax_
Lesueur's tree frog, _Litoria lesueuri_
Perons tree frog, _Litoria peroni_
Tyler's tree frog, _Litoria tyleri_
Leaf green tree frog_, Litoria phyllochroa

_and probably a few others I've forgotten it's been a while!


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## Reptile_Maniac (Jan 13, 2014)

Chris82 said:


> Off the top of my head,
> 
> Green tree frog, _Litoria caerulea
> _Bleating tree frog_, __Litoria dentata
> ...



Wow thats a lot of frogs! How many visits did it take to find all of these frogs? Also, what time is it best to arrive there? Cheers


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## JasonL (Jan 14, 2014)

L. caerulea are all but gone from the area, some isolated small populations and the odd one turning up on someones doorstep every few years but good luck going out and finding one in the bush... there are many more frogs in the area though, Giant Burrowing Frogs, Red Crown Toadlets are still common around the place.


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## Chris82 (Jan 14, 2014)

There're spots for green tree frogs! Just have to look harder. Not sure what the weather's been like but warm rainy nights for all frogs I've found is best. After storms!


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## Snakester (Jan 14, 2014)

Yeah Heathcote and the Royal offer a plethora of driving and walking options for herping. Depends what you are hoping to find in terms of nocturnal and diurnal species. I find the night time shifts are the the most productive, so take a decent camera. 9pm through to about 1am is ideal during summer.


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## Reptile_Maniac (Jan 14, 2014)

JasonL said:


> L. caerulea are all but gone from the area, some isolated small populations and the odd one turning up on someones doorstep every few years but good luck going out and finding one in the bush... there are many more frogs in the area though, Giant Burrowing Frogs, Red Crown Toadlets are still common around the place.



Are most reptiles and amphibians found along the leaf litter and trees or next to the tracks? So will I have to continuously look in the bush in order to spot some?


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## JasonL (Jan 15, 2014)

Find them anywhere, for geckos you can use your ears, or spot them via eye shine. A good quality head torch is a must.


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## -Peter (Jan 15, 2014)

Of course being a national park you cant turn over logs stones or leaf litter ...


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