This species inhabits sandstone heathland, dry, and also wet sclerophyll forest from north of Sydney to eastern Victoria.

[3] The call of the giant burrow frog is very low-pitched "ou-ou-ou-ou-ou", somewhat resembling that of an owl (hence the name), and only lasts one or two seconds.

[5] The female lays between 750 and 1250 unpigmented eggs, either in inundated burrows or underneath heavy vegetation in dams, ditches, and slow-flowing streams.

[6] These frogs are difficult to find, and best seen at night after thunderstorm activity in the summer or after substantial rainfall.

[6] First assessed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as a vulnerable species in 2002, its status has since been changed to endangered as of 2023.

The first captive breeding program for the giant burrowing frog is under way as of 2021[update], managed by Melbourne Zoo and the Arthur Rylah Institute.