"And then obviously you do have the sort of artistic influence that Lia has that would bring that sort of artistic creativity to life."The work of converting perceptions of the toad skin into something that could be a luxury item is less straightforward, but Ms Drummond said people stand to be surprised.
"What I found interesting with the ones that we've worked on in the Torres Strait is that it's actually quite soft and luxurious," she said. "You wouldn't think that, but it's very delicate in terms of the touch and feel of it, and very smooth.The pair envisioned a model similar to the one that has seen money from crocodile skins flow into some remote Indigenous communities, where locals would eventually be paid for their involvement in the project.
"The whole idea of us coming into these communities in northern Australia is providing that sort of opportunity for locals to make something within the community, and having money being put back into the communities," Ms Drummond said. In the meantime, they have been hoping it would become a new solution on the cane toad containment frontline, as wildlife authorities anxiously protect outer islands where the species has not yet been detected, as well as places like Prince of Wales Island where they have been.