Wildlife Land Trust / Sanctuaries / QLD / Froggy Bliss

Kingsley and Julie Mudd are the owners of Froggy Bliss, a property situated in Kanimbla, approximately 5km northwest of Cairns, Queensland. The property is a residence and wildlife-friendly sanctuary, and Kingsley and Julie wish to preserve the remnant vegetation as habitat for wildlife while regenerating degraded areas and limiting the spread of invasive plant species.

The property spans 0.6 hectares, with two-thirds comprised of mixed remnant rainforest and eucalypt woodland. It features a seasonal watercourse and a waterfall. The owners have established a long-term project to regenerate a portion of the land which has been overrun by invasive Singapore daisy (Sphagneticola trilobata).

Vegetation is largely categorised as Moist Uplands on Alluvium, Colluvium, Metamorphics and Granites. Dominant vegetation includes candlenut (Aleurites rockinghamensis), blue quandong (Elaeocarpus grandis), celerywood (Polyscias elegans), Atherton fig (Ficus leptoclada), Northern silky oak (Cardwellia sublimis) and buttonwood (Glochidion harveyanum).

Over three months a wide range of wildlife has been sighted including lace monitors (Varanus varius), black-headed monitors (Varanus tristis), various skink species including major skinks (Egernia frere), orange-thighed (Ranoidea xanthomera) and green tree (Litoria caerulea) frogs, tawny frogmouths (Podargus strigoides), crimson rosellas (Platycercus elegans), metallic starlings (Aplonis metallica) and a variety of other native birds.

The property may also provide habitat for a range of rare or threatened local bird species including the spectacled monarch (Symposiachrus trivirgatus), black-faced monarch (Monarcha melanopsis) and satin flycatcher (Myiagra cyanoleuca).