White's tree frog is native to Australia and southern New Guinea and has been introduced to New Zealand. These tree frogs can live in either seasonally dry or wet habitats. They prefer moist, forested environments but have skin that can adjust to drier situations. White's tree frogs do not typically live in or near water, but instead live in trees. Rain collects on leaves, in cup-shaped plants and in crevices in tree trunks, allowing the frogs access to water. These places are replenished with water from the almost daily rains and the frogs always have a source of water to keep themselves moist. White's tree frogs are not strictly limited to tropical rain forests. In other forests, these frogs avoid desiccation in the dry season by taking refuge in tree hollows or secreting a milky substance called "caerviein." They cover their bodies in a cocoon that prevents them from losing too much moisture. This frog's adaptability allows it to share suburban and agricultural areas with humans. They have been found in bathrooms, water tanks and city reservoirs. During the hot summer months, they can appear on the verandas of homes, or actually enter homes, looking for moisture.
