A house or garden
Tell us whether the sighting was near a back door, pool enclosure, shed or fence. Identify a safe gate and keep pets secured elsewhere. Leave pool equipment and garden storage untouched.
River foreshore, homes and workplaces
Snake Catcher Ermington
Seen a snake at an Ermington home or near a riverside path? Keep people and pets away and call Snakes in the City. Describe whether it is on your property, a shared area or public foreshore so we can discuss the right response and safe access.
NSW licence MWL000102655 · Fully insured · Humane snake removal
At home or on the foreshore: start with space
Stop approaching the animal and move back calmly. Bring children and pets away without crossing its path. If you can watch safely, note where it goes; do not follow it into river-edge vegetation, drains or neighbouring land.
On a busy path, warn approaching walkers or cyclists from well clear of the snake. Use a recognisable entrance or fixed landmark when describing the location. Do not surround it or try to push it off the path.
Possible snakebite: call 000
Keep the person still and follow the ambulance operator’s instructions, including pressure immobilisation. Do not wash, cut or suck the bite, apply a tourniquet, or catch the snake. Do not wait for symptoms or a catcher. Healthdirect snakebite first aid.
For a possible pet bite, contact an emergency vet immediately; snake removal must not delay treatment.
Ermington’s riverside setting
George Kendall Riverside Park is part of Ermington’s Parramatta River foreshore. Council identifies walking and recreation facilities in this riverside landscape. For someone reporting a sighting, the useful distinction is where the animal is in relation to people: inside a home, beside an occupied yard, or moving away through public open space.
A river-edge sighting is not proof that the same species lives in every nearby garden. Water, cover and prey can influence wildlife movement, while walls, fences and buildings affect how an animal can leave. Report the circumstances you can see instead of trying to work out where the snake “belongs”.
If works or temporary closures affect your entrance, explain the safe access route when calling. Do not walk through a closed work area or enter water to keep a snake in view.
Local source: City of Parramatta: George Kendall Riverside Park.
Three settings that need different access details
An apartment or shared courtyard
Give the building name or unit number, entry instructions and the manager’s contact. Keep the affected common area unused without blocking emergency access.
A business or construction site
Pause activity in the immediate area, keep staff clear and nominate a site contact. Explain inductions, vehicle gates and machinery hazards; workers should not attempt capture.
Arranging an Ermington call-out
Call 0411 103 488 any time. The back office coordinates available catchers using their known locations; confirm attendance and an estimated arrival during the call. We do not publish a fixed suburb response time.
A call-out fee applies. Ask what is included, and discuss the fee if an inspection is needed after a snake disappears. No weekend or public-holiday loading is added.
When a snake is located and can be reached safely, a licensed handler assesses capture and humane relocation under the relevant licence conditions. If it cannot be found, the team can discuss the sighting and appropriate next steps without claiming a successful removal.
River habitat is not an identification guide
Red-bellied black snakes are associated with wet environments, but seeing a snake near the Parramatta River does not identify it. Eastern brown snakes also occur in the broader Sydney region. Other reptiles can be mistaken for snakes, particularly when only part of the animal is visible.
Tell the catcher what you saw, its last position and direction. Do not handle an apparently harmless snake or reach into water, drains or vegetation to obtain a photograph. For background, see the Australian Museum’s red-bellied black snake profile.
Ermington call-out questions
Will a snake on the public riverbank always be removed?
Not necessarily. Wildlife moving away in natural habitat may be best left undisturbed. Explain the risk to people and the land involved; public-land access and any response need coordination with the responsible manager.
What if it enters a drain or disappears beneath a shed?
Record the last visible entrance and time, keep the area clear and update the team. Do not lift drain covers, flood a hiding place or dismantle a shed to make it emerge.
Can a snake enter a house or roof?
An accessible opening can allow an animal into a building. If seen inside, leave the area and close an internal door only if safe. Avoid ceiling spaces and ladders; tell us exactly what was observed so access can be assessed.
What changes are useful after removal?
Keep the immediate house perimeter visible, store materials tidily, secure animal feed and rubbish, and investigate rodent activity. Have suitable gaps repaired after the area is safe. Leave public foreshore vegetation and protected habitat undisturbed.
Should a pet wait for the snake to be identified?
No. Contact an emergency veterinary service immediately if a bite is possible and follow its transport advice. Do not wait for a photograph, identification or snake removal.
A licensed service with a public track record
Read Harley Jones’s profile for training, field experience and published media coverage. For your Ermington enquiry, the back office will confirm the attending catcher and the practical arrangements for your address.
Meet Harley and read the published evidence of his experience.
Read Snakes in the City’s Google reviews. Reviews relate to the business and are not presented as testimonials from this suburb.
Nearby service information
Arrange snake removal in Ermington
Call with the exact address and last known position. We will discuss safe access, catcher availability and the call-out fee.
Explore public snake observations around Ermington
Looking for broader wildlife context? The mapped place point for Ermington falls in square F5 of our 2025 Sydney-region observation report. A suburb can extend into neighbouring squares; this is an orientation guide, not a suburb boundary map.
View square F5 around Ermington in the observation report →
Counts apply to the whole square, not each suburb listed. A suburb appearing in a square does not mean a snake was recorded in that suburb. These are public observation records, not SITC call-outs, unique snake totals or a measure of danger.