# Herping in Vic



## dihsmaj (May 12, 2011)

Are there any spots to go herping in outer Melb? If not where's the BEST herping spot in Vic?


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## Fantazmic (May 12, 2011)

melbourne zoo reptile house lol


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## moosenoose (May 12, 2011)

I find along the Yarra is pretty good. You just have to pick your spots


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## Renenet (May 12, 2011)

Yeah, the Yarra's pretty good. I've been herping there without even intending to - on a short walk during summer we came across dozens of skinks. I think I remember from Waruikazi's Herping Guide that near water is always good for spotting reptiles, so it certainly doesn't have to be the Yarra - just a creek would do.


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## reptilife (May 12, 2011)

Westerfolds Park in Templestowe area. Lots of snakes and lizards etc 'in season'.

My favourite spots are around the south western districts (near where I live).
I often go to Tower Hill State Game Reserve, Mt Eccles Nat Park, Floating Islands Nature Reserve, Mt Richmond Nat Park, Bats Ridges Nature Reserve and about anywhere in between!


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## Renenet (May 12, 2011)

reptilife said:


> Westerfolds Park in Templestowe area. Lots of snakes and lizards etc 'in season'.



That's a great park. I've never seen a snake there, but then again I wasn't looking for them at the time. I have seen big Eastern Grey kangaroos there several times. I was on my bicycle once when one hopped crossed the path only a few metres in front of me. That was cool.


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## HypnoticSlither (May 12, 2011)

a lil bit off topic but not really... do people meet up to go herping? if so lwt me know im reallly keen.


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## $NaKe PiMp (May 13, 2011)

yea apparantly theres snakes in victoria,and the best place to look is on the ground


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## GeckPhotographer (May 13, 2011)

Mt Baw Baw, Bennison, Dargo or Bogong High Plains. Only reptile endemic to Vic found in these locales. All other reptile have no need for victoria to exist.


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## reptilife (May 13, 2011)

GeckPhotographer said:


> Mt Baw Baw, Bennison, Dargo or Bogong High Plains. Only reptile endemic to Vic found in these locales. All other reptile have no need for victoria to exist.



That's interesting... which species?


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## GeckPhotographer (May 13, 2011)

_Pseudemoia cryodroma._


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## AaronR (May 14, 2011)

HypnoticSlither said:


> a lil bit off topic but not really... do people meet up to go herping? if so lwt me know im reallly keen.


 
Yeah people do it just really depends on what your interest is actually in in regards to speices and of course where you live and how far you wNt to travel to go herping


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## reptilife (May 14, 2011)

GeckPhotographer said:


> _Pseudemoia cryodroma._



Ah yes, a lovely little Skink.
Well lucky for it Victoria DOES exist!


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## GeckPhotographer (May 14, 2011)

> Ah yes, a lovely little Skink.
> Well lucky for it Victoria DOES exist!



Hahahahaha true and besides a bunch of other things are more common there so I will have to go down to Victoria eventually. Not to mention some cool frog like Philoria frosti and Pseudophryne semimarmorata.


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## reptilife (May 14, 2011)

GeckPhotographer said:


> Hahahahaha true and besides a bunch of other things are more common there so I will have to go down to Victoria eventually. Not to mention some cool frog like Philoria frosti and Pseudophryne semimarmorata.



The very first frog (or Toadlet!) I kept was a P. Semimarmorata which I found at Labertouche. Beautiful little things.
Now that's another great area to go herping in... right through the Bunyip State Forest to Gembrook etc.


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## eipper (May 15, 2011)

good luck finding frosti these days


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## dihsmaj (May 15, 2011)

GeckPhotographer said:


> Pseudophryne semimarmorata.


Amazing frog that I want to keep one day.


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## nirofett (May 15, 2011)

same here, im pretty keen on going herping, but i havent seen many reptiles in melbourne, apart from garden skinks. but then again i havent really gone out. im pretty new to herping, so where do you guys look for reptiles? do you just look under rocks and under shrubs? and do you reckon there would be many to find during this cold weather we have? cheers guys


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## HypnoticSlither (May 15, 2011)

nirofett said:


> same here, im pretty keen on going herping, but i havent seen many reptiles in melbourne, apart from garden skinks. but then again i havent really gone out. im pretty new to herping, so where do you guys look for reptiles? do you just look under rocks and under shrubs? and do you reckon there would be many to find during this cold weather we have? cheers guys


 
i live in cranbourne on a big preperty.... there are alot of places to find skinks,frogs and snakes..... i most likely hav tigers and coppers and even possibly white lipped or small eyes here. 
we see snakes alot in summer and we arnt even looking for them. 
i suspect there a few wicked places here to find the lil fellas. but i need some one to help me move the tin and corrugated iron. i cant move the stuff on my own as its got over grown grass etc. 

so i was thinking if any one wants to come over and go looking around the property ..would be awesome/ we have a few different types of frogs ..i do not know species.


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## GeckPhotographer (May 15, 2011)

> good luck finding frosti these days


I know what you mean. There are some sites and as far as I am aware .P.frosti are not particularly protected. Not as in whether they are endangered or anything just that for a similarly rare animal as the Corroboree frog there is no where near as much conservation effort into protecting their sites and monitoring numbers.


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## AaronR (May 15, 2011)

HypnoticSlither said:


> i live in cranbourne on a big preperty.... there are alot of places to find skinks,frogs and snakes..... i most likely hav tigers and coppers and even possibly white lipped or small eyes here.
> we see snakes alot in summer and we arnt even looking for them.
> i suspect there a few wicked places here to find the lil fellas. but i need some one to help me move the tin and corrugated iron. i cant move the stuff on my own as its got over grown grass etc.
> 
> so i was thinking if any one wants to come over and go looking around the property ..would be awesome/ we have a few different types of frogs ..i do not know species.


 
sounds like a plan


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## HypnoticSlither (May 15, 2011)

AaronR said:


> sounds like a plan


 

wicked! will be good to meet other with the same interest... though i am only very new to this lol


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## nirofett (May 15, 2011)

thats so cool! haha, i live around nunawading in the eastern suburbs, so i dont really see much. we should get a group together to go herping, cause im new as well. cheers


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## TaraLeigh (May 15, 2011)

HypnoticSlither said:


> i live in cranbourne on a big preperty.... there are alot of places to find skinks,frogs and snakes..... i most likely hav tigers and coppers and even possibly white lipped or small eyes here.
> we see snakes alot in summer and we arnt even looking for them.
> i suspect there a few wicked places here to find the lil fellas. but i need some one to help me move the tin and corrugated iron. i cant move the stuff on my own as its got over grown grass etc.
> 
> so i was thinking if any one wants to come over and go looking around the property ..would be awesome/ we have a few different types of frogs ..i do not know species.



I'd be in.


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## jordo (May 16, 2011)

Plimpy said:


> If not where's the BEST herping spot in Vic?


 
Although it largely depends on what you want to see. North-west Vic is hands down the best herping in Victoria. Alps and east Gippsland are also good.


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## eipper (May 16, 2011)

alps are even better when you go to a spot that someone else figured out and you do better them..ya .......


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## Chicken (May 16, 2011)

I go to westefolds park too! Small world hey, i went they're not too long ago for my first herping trip and found two really nice blotched blueys. No snakes though, it was probably a bit to late in the season. Its a great place to go because there is a small creek and its a protected wildlife park, and its good for me i only live 5 mins away


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## dihsmaj (May 18, 2011)

nirofett said:


> thats so cool! haha, i live around nunawading in the eastern suburbs, so i dont really see much. we should get a group together to go herping, cause im new as well. cheers


 
I live around the same area.


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## Asharee133 (May 18, 2011)

mount buffalo is AWESOME. i saw about 7 copperheads, WAY too many skinks and up on the horn, theres SOOO many alpine bog skinks


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## jordo (May 20, 2011)

eipper said:


> alps are even better when you go to a spot that someone else figured out and you do better them..ya .......


 
I wont argue with that


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## Treknotechelaps (Jun 11, 2011)

I'd be up for it too, would be great to meet people in Melbourne area who wanna go herping



HypnoticSlither said:


> i live in cranbourne on a big preperty.... there are alot of places to find skinks,frogs and snakes..... i most likely hav tigers and coppers and even possibly white lipped or small eyes here.
> we see snakes alot in summer and we arnt even looking for them.
> i suspect there a few wicked places here to find the lil fellas. but i need some one to help me move the tin and corrugated iron. i cant move the stuff on my own as its got over grown grass etc.
> 
> so i was thinking if any one wants to come over and go looking around the property ..would be awesome/ we have a few different types of frogs ..i do not know species.



I'd be up for it too, would be great to meet up with people in Melbourne area who wanna go herping, have seen a few White-lipped Snakes around but still have got to get a photo of one, they seem to be getting rarer in the suburbs, probably because of damn cats. Am interested to see what frog species you have on your property as well


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## BigWillieStyles (Jun 11, 2011)

I know its probably a bit far for those in Melbourne, but the Mallee has the highest diversity and best chance of seeing something cool.


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## mad_at_arms (Jun 11, 2011)

I have found a good healthy looking blue tongue at work under a pallet. Long neck turtle on the driveway and heaps of spotted and striped marsheys around tbe premises. Thats in spotswood. Newport lakes I've seen blueys and some skinks.


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## TaraLeigh (Jun 11, 2011)

I've only ever seen a few skinks around Geelong but apparently there is snakes. I should probably get my permit and start advertising for people to call me if they see one..... Plenty of Spotted and Striped Marshys around here too. I hear other frogs in various places too. Also seen a couple of Green and Golden Bell Frogs.... I think..... They could be something else but I'm pretty sure that's what they were. I could dig up a photo of one and where I saw it. I went there yesty actually and got REALLY depressed because it used to be this amazing place and now it's been ruined. Sad. But yeah. I'm more than keen to meet up with people and have a look around anywhere. Fairly willing to travel too!


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## thoma1234 (Jun 11, 2011)

i have a couple good spots on the mornington peninsula and over bass coast...


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## GeckPhotographer (Jun 11, 2011)

> I could dig up a photo of one and where I saw it



Pics please.


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## Naga_Kanya (Jun 12, 2011)

There are a couple of good places to see White Lipped Snakes. One's Mount Dandenong, the other's a reserve near the sea (I'll have to check that one), and I believe they can be found in the Otways, too. I've still yet to actually see one though, and I really want to! In actual Melbourne, along the Yarra you can see Blue Tongues, Tiger Snakes, East Gippsland Water Dragons, turtles, and a small variety of skinks and marbled geckos. It's a pretty rich area! There's a White's (?) skink reserve near the Melbourne Zoo. I've heard a bunch of marsh frogs and pobblebonks in Melbourne inner city, too. In the Dandenongs/Lilydale/Mt Evelyn/Seville I've also seen tonnes of Black Snakes, Blueys and a variety of different frogs. I could be up for a Melbourne Herp meet if one's happening.


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## eipper (Jun 12, 2011)

your blacks in the dandenongs are most like Copperheads


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## Naga_Kanya (Jun 12, 2011)

Really? Pitch black with a reddish-creamy belly? It's been several years since I've seen one due to living in the city, but I was sure they were RBBs. Gotta find one and make certain now.


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## TaraLeigh (Jun 13, 2011)

Sounds great Naga-Kanya!
I'll upload the pics sometime today GeckPhotographer.


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## Treknotechelaps (Jun 15, 2011)

Look around the Dandenongs for White-lips regularly but haven’t seen any for a while, used to see a lot around Boronia Heights and Montrose...a common snake that will sure turn up soon elsewhere
Seen a lot of Small-eyed Snakes in the northern part of Dandenongs, that’s what your 'Black snakes with a reddish-creamy belly' could be Naga_Kanya
Other good spots around Melbourne include Lysterfield Lake Park (many snakes, Blueys, Jackys, many other skinks sp, and good for frogs too) and the Basalt plains area west and northwest of Melbourne (heaps of Brown Snakes and some different species than the east)
Recently discovered Pseudemoia rawlinsoni (Swampland Tussock Skink) near Dandenong Creek in degraded habitat in the outer eastern suburbs, so it’s even worth checking out small reserves and other vacant land.


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## eipper (Jun 15, 2011)

Elapo,

Pseudemoia rawlinsoni are quite common in a number of places on Melbournes fringe. They tend to be pretty localised though.

Cheers,
Scott


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## dihsmaj (Jun 15, 2011)

Jackys, Frogs, Blueys and some _elapidae_, what else would I want to find?


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## whyme (Jun 15, 2011)

Anywhere past Moe and through to Marlo. Rbb's, copperheads, Gwd's, White lips, tigers, Lacies, Mountain dragons, jackies, blues, stumpies, southern leaf green tree frogs, and a @$#%load more.


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## TaraLeigh (Jun 15, 2011)

This thread is just getting more and more exciting.
I'm having an issue with photos but watch out when I get it happening again!
Yesty and the day before I went herping in Moriac and found heaps of Southern Brown Tree Frogs, Marsh Frogs, little froglet things and various skinks. I'm sure there would be snakes and blueys and other things in there. Had the time of my life. There was just an abundance of wildlife.
So keen to meet up with people from here.


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## Treknotechelaps (Jun 16, 2011)

Scott

This very small population was in an area not previously recorded for the species according to Nick Clemann who has been doing reserach on herpetofauna in the area said that none had been recorded there previously and was not in the Atlas of Victorian Wildlife database, another skink Lissolepis (Egernia) coventryi was rediscovered in the same general area, some time ago, although a few kilometres away. 
I even found a P. rawlinsoni in our backyard in the 1990s which was really surprising, it is also really surprising that this small population is still hanging on in the area I found it- heavily degraded cleared vacant land with a lot of hard rubbish around, unfortunately development is in place for the site but there is a small conservation reserve nearby...I have also seen then in outer north of Melbourne.
Its not that surprising that they occur in this area near Dandenong Creek as it would have originally been suitable habitat for the species, and other populations probably occur nearby.

 Darren



eipper said:


> Elapo,
> 
> Pseudemoia rawlinsoni are quite common in a number of places on Melbournes fringe. They tend to be pretty localised though.
> 
> ...



Yeh this thread is getting exciting, thanx to Snakeluvver3 for starting the thread, good to see Victoria get some attention
Will be creating a post of a few pics of some herps I’ve photographed around Victoria in the next few weeks
If anyone is interested in meeting up for some field herping around Melbourne and further a field send me a message and we’ll organise sumthin, probably would be better more towards spring when its startin to warm up and there is more action


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