In Australia, this species is known from open forests and woodland in coastal/sub coastal areas with an understorey of grasses and/or sedges. It forages among the leaf litter of the forest floor and on the open flats exposed by receding waters. It has also been found close to urban or other disturbed areas such as ditches and sand drains (Hines and Meyer 2011). In New Guinea, it occurs in open, woody savanna, and breeds in swamps. In Australia, breeding takes place in spring and summer mostly in ephemeral waters (isolated pools, inundated grass/sedge land). Eggs are laid in clumps of 50–100 in static water, and tadpoles take between 1–5 months to develop depending on the time the eggs were laid.

This species occurs along the coast and adjacent areas of northern and eastern Australia, from the Kimberley region of Western Australia along the coastline to mid-eastern New South Wales, including several offshore islands. It is also widespread in open forest in the southern lowlands and southeastern peninsula of New Guinea, occurring in both Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It occurs at elevations near sea level, below 50 m asl in New Guinea.

Conservation Measures In-Place
It occurs in several protected areas throughout its range.