Found in coastal southeastern mainland Australia, from the upper Barwon River system near Barwon Downs, Victoria, west to the Cortina Lakes, near the Coorong, South Australia. In Victoria, it is considered threatened under the catergory of vulnerable. Based on the IUCN criteria (IUCN 2012), it should be considered nationally ‘endangered’ based on the following criteria: B2a, b(i,ii,iii,iv), c(ii,iii. Major threats include habitat loss and fragmentation, and negative interactions with invasive fishes, particularly the poecilid Gambusia holbrooki (Ref. 104902).