MONDAY, 11AM: A TINY green tree frog will embark on the journey of its lifetime today as it heads north to Mission Beach.

The mutated frog, that has a fifth leg, is being taken from Mackay to a specialised frog hospital 600km north for a potential surgery to have the additional leg removed.  

INITIAL: AN EXTRA helping hand is needed for a baby green tree frog born with five legs.

Ooralea resident Kristy Borchert was relaxing in her backyard when she noticed the little frog trying to clamber up a wall.

"He kept sliding down and was tugging against something," Ms Borchert said.

When she caught it, she said she was shocked at what she found.

Just below its mouth, sticking out of his neck, was a fifth leg.

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The extra leg was clearly distressing the tiny frog, and made him easy prey, Ms Borchert said.

"I wanted to get him somewhere safe," she said.

Ms Borchert contacted Frog Safe, a Mission Beach frog hospital, which she said was stunned by the mutation.

"They were kind of amazed, especially where the leg was stemming from," she said.

A number of Mackay residents have volunteered to transport the five-legged frog 600km north to the small coastal town, north of Townsville.

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On Valentine's Day Ms Borchert will farewell her little green friend.

"It will be sad when he goes, but I'll be happy he is getting the help he needs," Ms Borchert said.

While some mutations are natural, Ms Borchert worried that weed killers, pesticides and other pollutants were hurting Mackay's native amphibians.

"Something is going on causing these frogs to get cancer and mutations," she said.