One small step for mankind, one giant leap for bell frogs

By Rose Powell
Updated March 6 2015 - 10:18am, first published February 10 2015 - 11:17am
The Green and golden bell frog. Photo: Nick Moir
The Green and golden bell frog. Photo: Nick Moir
There are only two thriving populations of this frog, in Homebush and Flemington. Photo: Nick Moir
There are only two thriving populations of this frog, in Homebush and Flemington. Photo: Nick Moir
Decommissioning and demolition manager Peter Archibald with Conservation Project Manager Julie Seymour at the wetlands on the Clyde fuel refinery site.  Photo: Geoff Jones
Decommissioning and demolition manager Peter Archibald with Conservation Project Manager Julie Seymour at the wetlands on the Clyde fuel refinery site. Photo: Geoff Jones
The Viva Energy conservation plan includes constructing a specialised breeding space. Photo: Nick Moir
The Viva Energy conservation plan includes constructing a specialised breeding space. Photo: Nick Moir
The bell frogs were such common native species in the 1960s they were often used for high school science lab dissections. Photo: Nick Moir
The bell frogs were such common native species in the 1960s they were often used for high school science lab dissections. Photo: Nick Moir
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The Green and golden bell frog. Photo: Nick Moir
The Green and golden bell frog. Photo: Nick Moir
There are only two thriving populations of this frog, in Homebush and Flemington. Photo: Nick Moir
There are only two thriving populations of this frog, in Homebush and Flemington. Photo: Nick Moir
Decommissioning and demolition manager Peter Archibald with Conservation Project Manager Julie Seymour at the wetlands on the Clyde fuel refinery site.  Photo: Geoff Jones
Decommissioning and demolition manager Peter Archibald with Conservation Project Manager Julie Seymour at the wetlands on the Clyde fuel refinery site. Photo: Geoff Jones
The Viva Energy conservation plan includes constructing a specialised breeding space. Photo: Nick Moir
The Viva Energy conservation plan includes constructing a specialised breeding space. Photo: Nick Moir
The bell frogs were such common native species in the 1960s they were often used for high school science lab dissections. Photo: Nick Moir
The bell frogs were such common native species in the 1960s they were often used for high school science lab dissections. Photo: Nick Moir
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The Green and golden bell frog. Photo: Nick Moir
The Green and golden bell frog. Photo: Nick Moir
There are only two thriving populations of this frog, in Homebush and Flemington. Photo: Nick Moir
There are only two thriving populations of this frog, in Homebush and Flemington. Photo: Nick Moir
Decommissioning and demolition manager Peter Archibald with Conservation Project Manager Julie Seymour at the wetlands on the Clyde fuel refinery site.  Photo: Geoff Jones
Decommissioning and demolition manager Peter Archibald with Conservation Project Manager Julie Seymour at the wetlands on the Clyde fuel refinery site. Photo: Geoff Jones
The Viva Energy conservation plan includes constructing a specialised breeding space. Photo: Nick Moir
The Viva Energy conservation plan includes constructing a specialised breeding space. Photo: Nick Moir
The bell frogs were such common native species in the 1960s they were often used for high school science lab dissections. Photo: Nick Moir
The bell frogs were such common native species in the 1960s they were often used for high school science lab dissections. Photo: Nick Moir
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The Green and golden bell frog. Photo: Nick Moir
The Green and golden bell frog. Photo: Nick Moir
There are only two thriving populations of this frog, in Homebush and Flemington. Photo: Nick Moir
There are only two thriving populations of this frog, in Homebush and Flemington. Photo: Nick Moir
Decommissioning and demolition manager Peter Archibald with Conservation Project Manager Julie Seymour at the wetlands on the Clyde fuel refinery site.  Photo: Geoff Jones
Decommissioning and demolition manager Peter Archibald with Conservation Project Manager Julie Seymour at the wetlands on the Clyde fuel refinery site. Photo: Geoff Jones
The Viva Energy conservation plan includes constructing a specialised breeding space. Photo: Nick Moir
The Viva Energy conservation plan includes constructing a specialised breeding space. Photo: Nick Moir
The bell frogs were such common native species in the 1960s they were often used for high school science lab dissections. Photo: Nick Moir
The bell frogs were such common native species in the 1960s they were often used for high school science lab dissections. Photo: Nick Moir
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media
The disused Shell Oil refinery at Clyde near Parramatta, home to a species of wetland frog - the green and golden bell frog. Photo: Sahlan Hayes/Fairfax Media

Gleaming green frogs barely larger than a child's hand are set to be a major winner as energy company Shell packs up a decommissioned crude oil refinery at Clyde, in Sydney's west.

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