Background

The Deep Creek Education Centre was originally part of the Kooweerup Swamp and had diverse vegetation. The site had 4 creeks feeding into it, the Pakenham, Kennedy, Whiskey and Deep Creek.

The Growling Grass Frog has been sighted in recent years in the Deep Creek Reserve. The Growling Grass Frog is a large ground dwelling frog that lives in large swamps, ponds, lakes, woodland, shrubland and swampy grasslands.

The Growling Grass Frog is a large diurnal frog that was common and widespread across its range but declined quite suddenly from about 1990 and is now uncommon and threatened. It was listed as a threatened species under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 in 2001, and declared endangered in 2002 due to a significant decline across much of its range. There are now isolated populations in the greater Melbourne area and across areas in south western Victoria.

Key Learning Question

What evidence is there to suggest that the Deep Creek wetland is healthy?

Learning Intentions

In this program, students will:

• Understand the characteristics required for a healthy wetland ecosystem
• Learn about how the growth and survival of living things are affected by a range of factors in their environment
• Develop an understanding of the habitat requirements of the Growling Grass Frog

Activities

Students will:

• Conduct a habitat assessment of the Deep Creek Reserve wetland to determine its suitability for the Growling Grass Frog
• Undertake biological testing by analyzing the macroinvertebrates found in the Deep Creek Reserve wetland
• Undertake chemical testing to ascertain the water quality in the Deep Creek Reserve wetland.

Victorian Curriculum

• Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment (VCSSU074)
• The growth and survival of living things are affected by the physical conditions of their environment (VCSSU075)
• Communicate ideas and processes using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena and to identify simple cause-and-effect relationships (VCSIS088)