I recently caught up with photographer Mike Swan, who was on his way home from a trip west gathering images for a forthcoming field guide: Frogs and Reptiles of the Murray-Darling Basin. Here are a few images from his far-ranging frog-chasing expeditions.
![Giant Banjo Frog (Limnodynastes interioris), Lake Cowal, New South Wales. Photograph courtesy and copyright Mike Swan.](https://www.robertashdown.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/L.interiorisLake-CowalNSW.1013-6-Large.jpg)
Giant Banjo Frog (Limnodynastes interioris), Lake Cowal, New South Wales. Photograph courtesy and copyright Mike Swan.
![Striped Marsh Frog (Limnodynastes peroni), Healesville, Victoria. Photograph courtesy and copyright Mike Swan.](https://www.robertashdown.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/L.peroniiHealesvilleVic.-Large.jpg)
Striped Marsh Frog (Limnodynastes peroni), Healesville, Victoria. Photograph courtesy and copyright Mike Swan.
![Green Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea), Lake Broadwater, Queensland. Photograph courtesy and copyright Mike Swan.](https://www.robertashdown.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/L.caeruleaLake-BroadwaterQld.-0114-6-Large.jpg)
Green Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea), Lake Broadwater, Queensland. Photograph courtesy and copyright Mike Swan.
![Eastern Snapping Frog (Cyclorana/Litoria novaehollandiae), Glenmorgan, Queensland. Photograph courtesy and copyright Mike Swan.](https://www.robertashdown.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/C.novaehollandiaeGlenmorganQld.-0114-5-Large.jpg)
Eastern Snapping Frog (Cyclorana/Litoria novaehollandiae), Glenmorgan, Queensland. Photograph courtesy and copyright Mike Swan.
Mike’s a busy bloke — when not out in the bush with a camera he can be found working at Healesville Sanctuary in Melbourne, running an online herpetological bookshop and playing in alt-country band Low Rent.
Mike, great to know there is life in Toowomba. My daughter has just bought a one acre
property in old Glenvale, Toowoomba and am now in charge of her future garden, (w/ends). What can I do to encourage amphibians. In 1996 I took over a neglected property in Mt. Tuchekoi alive with toads and only 2 species of frog on this property, in the 7 years I was there, I
disposed of over 6,400 toads, planting wet corridors to a small dam, when I sold in 2002, I estimated I had 11 species if frog, plus an increase in snake numbers. Alas, I have re-visited this
former property of mine, everything is dry and neglected, how very sad!!
Keep up the good work!
regards Ray.