HONOURING THE POBBLEBONK

It might sound like a new dance craze or the latest baby name from Hollywood, but the Pobblebonk is actually a rare Australian frog and could be a future Queensland landmark.

Natural Resources and Water Minister Craig Wallace said today that the Pobblebonk, a small frog named after its distinctive “bonk” call, could soon give its name to a Maroochy shire creek.

“I would like to invite Maroochy Shire residents to have their say on the official naming of Pobblebonk Creek, located about a kilometre south of Montville,” Mr Wallace said.

“It has been proposed to name the waterway Pobblebonk Creek, after a rare Australian frog native to the district,” Mr Wallace said.

“Pobblebonk is a delightful name for a little frog with a very distinctive call.”

Mr Wallace said the proposal to name the creek after the Pobblebonk frog was submitted by the Lake Baroon Catchment Care group as part of the ‘Name That Stream’ campaign.

Also known as the Eastern Banjo Frog, the Pobblebonk (Limnodynastes dumerili), is a burrowing frog, and is listed as ‘threatened’ by the Queensland Threatened Species Network.

“If local residents approve, Pobblebonk Creek will join the list of Queensland locations with animals in their names, such as Emu Park, Dingo Beach and Kangaroo Point,” Mr Wallace said.

Pobblebonk Creek is a well-defined permanent creek, about two kilometres long from its source on the western side of the Blackall Range to its convergence with Small Creek.

“Small Creek, which was originally named in 1915, has never been officially recorded in the place names register,” Mr Wallace said.

“Its name will also be formalised when Pobblebonk Creek is named.”

A plan illustrating the proposal can be viewed at the Department of Natural Resources and Water office, Ground Floor, Centenary Building, Currie Street, Nambour; Maroochy Shire Council, Eddie De Vere Building, corner of Currie and Bury Streets, Nambour; the Nambour Library and at the Montville Post Office.

Individual submissions about the proposal can be lodged with the Regional Services Director, South East Region, Nambour Office, Department of Natural Resources and Water, PO Box 573, Nambour Q 4560 until March 28, 2008.

Media inquiries: Clare Gillic, Minister’s Office, 3896 3688.

Photographs of the Pobblebonk frog and audio file of its call are available upon request.