The government department meant to protect our environment, DEECA, has been caught damaging critical habitat for the endangered Watson’s tree frog.

We don't mess around when it comes to protecting our precious wildlife, and neither should the government. Recent DEECA actions in East Gippsland show a shocking disregard for the unique creatures calling our forests home.

What Happened?

In February 2025, DEECA conducted roadside works along BA Road (near Mt Ellery in Errinundra National Park) and Waratah Flat Road (Snowy River National Park). The roadsides included critically important, tiny water bodies previously identified and mapped by DEECA itself as crucial breeding sites for the extremely rare Watson's Tree Frog (Litoria watsoni).   

GECO has obtained internal DEECA documents that list the exact breeding locations of Watson’s Tree Frog, and a fact sheet for staff to help them establish protective measures when doing work in these special areas. Despite having this precise information, instead of protecting these sensitive spots, DEECA contractors sprayed herbicide directly onto them and adjacent pristine creeks. To make matters worse, in April, a bulldozer doing routine road maintenance came within centimetres of one of the tadpole-filled waterbodies on BA Road. This wasn't a one-off mistake; it points to a systemic failure. 

Ironically, DEECA had supposedly putting protective measures in place for some of these exact same sites just last spring. Clearly, their internal processes are broken. DEECA's own maps identifying protected areas are seemingly ignored, leaving endangered species with nowhere safe to go, even within National Parks.   

A Tiny Frog Facing Big Threats

Watson's Tree Frog isn't just any frog. It's listed as Endangered under both state and federal law. It's so rare it was only scientifically named in 2021 and was rediscovered in Victoria in 2015 after being missing for 19 years.   

These frogs rely on specific, often tiny (around 1 square metre) pools for breeding. With tadpoles taking at least 7 months to develop, hitting these sites with herbicides and bulldozers is devastating. With only 5 known breeding sites confirmed in Victoria in 2024, destroying one is a massive blow to the entire population.   

DEECA Failing its Duty

This isn't just negligence; it's a potential breach of multiple environmental laws DEECA is supposed to uphold:

• Ignoring their own data and procedures (violating their duty of care).   
• Spraying herbicides near pristine creeks and onto endangered species habitat (potential pollution and inappropriate chemical use).   
• Driving a bulldozer through a known breeding site (destruction of protected wildlife habitat).   
• Damaging natural values within National Parks.   
• Failing to protect a listed threatened species under state and federal laws (FFG Act & potentially EPBC Act).   

It's a particularly bitter pill to swallow considering the dedicated work of DEECA's own Arthur Rylah Institute (ARI). The ARI invests significant resources in the recovery and conservation of threatened amphibians, including the Watson's Tree Frog. Their efforts, focused on research, habitat restoration, and mitigating threats like disease and habitat loss, stand in stark contrast to the alleged destructive actions. This suggests a profound disconnect within DEECA, where one branch actively works to protect these vulnerable creatures while another potentially undermines those very efforts.

We Have Taken Action

We've already formally reported these potential breaches to the Office of the Conservation Regulator (OCR). So far, we have't received any response.   

This silence isn't good enough. DEECA needs to be held accountable. Their failure highlights the ongoing risks our forests and wildlife face, even with the end of native forest logging on public land. Threats remain, and oversight is clearly inadequate.

Read our report to the Conservator Regulator here.

You Can Count On Us (But We Need Your Help!)

Geco volunteers are out there, on the ground, keeping watch. We act as the eyes and ears of the forest, holding government departments and agencies accountable. We won't stand by while endangered species habitat is destroyed, especially by the very agency meant to protect it.

But we're a tiny organisation running on the smell of an oily rag. Our vital work – surveying forests, finding threatened species, documenting breaches, and campaigning for real protection – relies entirely on community support.

Please consider making a donation today. Your support helps keep our dedicated volunteers out in the field, equipped and ready to defend our precious natural heritage. Every dollar makes a difference.

Together, we can keep the pressure on and ensure our unique forests and wildlife have a future.