Distribution and Habitat

Population and Distribution
Mixophyes fleayi is narrowly and disjunctly distributed in wet forests from the Conondale Range in s.e. Qld, s. to Yabbra Scrub in n.e. NSW (Hines et al. 1999). The area of occurrence of the species is about 7000 km2 (map in Hines et al. 1999). While the majority of records for the species are from altitudes above 400 m, M. fleayi is also known from lowland rainforest (200 m, Goldingay et al. 1999; 90 and 150 m, H. Hines & L. Shoo unpubl. data). Corben (in McDonald 1991) reported that M. fleayi declined in the Conondale Range in the late 1970’s. Ingram and McDonald (1993) reported that the species has not been seen in the Conondale Range since the summer of 1990-1991. Since Ingram and McDonald’s (1993) review, targeted surveys have been undertaken (Hines et al. 1999; Goldingay et al. 1999). In Qld, populations are currently known from the Conondale Range, Lamington Plateau and the n. section of Main Range, Mt Barney area and Currumbin and Tallebudgera Ck below Springbrook Plateau (Hines et al. 1999). Despite targeted surveys, there have been no records of the species from the extensively developed Mt Tamborine area since 1976 (Hines et al. 1999). There is a museum specimen of M. fleayi collected from Bunya Mt in 1970 (H. Hines unpubl. data), however, recent surveys have failed to locate the species from this area (H. Hines pers. comm.). In NSW the species is known from Lever’s Plateau (Border Ranges), Yabbra and Tooloom Scrubs, Mt Warning, Terania Ck in Nightcap Range and Sheepstation Ck in the Border Ranges (Mahony et al. 1997; Hines et al. 1999). Mixophyes fleayi has disappeared from some locations, though whether populations have declined at other locations is difficult to assess due to a lack of information on the abundance of the species at historical sites (Hines et al. 1999). The very low numbers recorded from many well surveyed sites suggests that declines in abundance may have occurred (Hines et al. 1999; Goldingay et al. 1999).
Mixophyes fleayi is known from Qld: Lamington, Main Range NP, Goomburra SF , Conondale Range (Hines et al. 1999), Springbrook, Mt Barney NP (J-M. Hero pers. comm.); and from NSW: Mebbin NP, (J-M. Hero pers. comm.), Yabbra SF (Hines et al. 1999), Border Ranges, Mt Warning, Nightcap, Tooloom NP (Goldingay et al. 1999). Habitat
Mixophyes fleayi is associated with montane rainforest (Corben & Ingram 1987) and open forest communities adjoining rainforest (H. Hines pers. comm.). The species occurs along stream habitats from first to third order streams (ie. small streams close to their origin through to permanent streams with grades of 1 in 50) and is not found in ponds or ephemeral pools (Mahony et al. 1997). At some locations where the species has been recorded, riparian vegetation has been disturbed and replaced by weeds, however this is considered marginal habitat (Mahony et al. 1997). Tadpoles do occur with several species of native fish, however no introduced fish species have been observed in sympatry with M. fleayi (Mahony et al. 1997; H. Hines unpubl. data).