1
Move away
Bring children and pets indoors or into a closed room. Give the snake several metres of space and avoid sudden movement.
Local snake removal · available 24/7
Snake Catcher North Sydney
A snake at your North Sydney home, workplace or property needs calm, professional handling. Keep people and pets well back, maintain a safe view if possible, and call Snakes in the City for snake capture and removal.
✓ Experienced local snake catcher✓ Homes, schools and commercial properties✓ Clear safety guidance while help is arranged
What to do when you see a snake in North Sydney
Create distance first. Do not identify, corner, touch, trap or kill the snake. Never put yourself between it and an escape route.
2
Watch safely
If it is safe, watch from behind a closed window, fence or other secure position. Note its last-known location without chasing it.
3
Call Snakes in the City
Provide the address, access instructions, where the snake was last seen and whether it is indoors, outside, injured or trapped.
Suspected snakebite: call 000 immediately
Keep the person still, apply a pressure immobilisation bandage if available, and wait for an ambulance. Do not wash the bite, cut or suck the wound, use a tight tourniquet, or try to catch the snake.
Why snakes may turn up around North Sydney
The Lower North Shore combines dense residential and commercial development with Sydney Harbour foreshores, sandstone slopes, retaining walls, mature gardens and bushland or creek corridors. In some suburbs, narrow access, strata common areas and closely spaced buildings make safe observation and site access as important as the snake’s species.
Within North Sydney, conditions vary from street to street. Property layout, nearby open space, drainage, vegetation, construction activity and prey are more useful indicators than the suburb name alone.
A snake may be passing through rather than living on the property. Water, prey, warmth and temporary shelter matter more than suburb boundaries.
Places to check without putting yourself at risk
Do not search by reaching into concealed spaces. These are details to report to the catcher from a safe position.
Around buildings
- gaps under doors, gates and sheds
- garage edges, laundries and utility areas
- openings around pipes or wall penetrations
Gardens and yards
- dense groundcover and fence lines
- rock walls, pots and retaining structures
- pool equipment, compost and garden storage
Stored materials
- timber, roofing and building supplies
- pallets, machinery and stacked equipment
- areas showing rodent or frog activity
Meet Harley and see regional snake habitat
These first-hand Snakes in the City photographs help identify the person attending and illustrate snakes and habitat relevant to the wider region. Species cannot be confirmed from a description alone; keep a safe distance and call for advice.
Snakes that may occur in the Lower North Shore and harbour-side suburbs
This is regional context, not a promise that either species occurs on every North Sydney property. Never rely on colour alone: age, lighting and natural variation make quick identification unreliable.
Diamond python
A non-venomous python associated with bushland areas around Sydney. Roof spaces, rock features and dense cover can offer temporary shelter.
Red-bellied black snake
May occur around wetter corridors and creek habitat. It is venomous; do not approach to look for a red underside.
Making a North Sydney property less attractive to snakes
No garden design can guarantee a snake-free property. The practical goal is to reduce concealed shelter and the food sources that attract prey.
- maintain grass and garden edges so the ground is visible
- raise stored timber and materials where practical
- seal appropriate building gaps with pest-proof materials
- control rodents and clean spilled pet, bird or poultry feed
- trim dense vegetation away from commonly used doors and paths
- wear enclosed footwear and gloves around concealed outdoor areas
Urgent medical and veterinary contacts for the region
These verified contacts are included for safety, not as endorsements. A human snakebite is always a 000 emergency; do not drive the patient to hospital yourself unless emergency services direct you.
Royal North Shore Hospital
Reserve Road, St Leonards NSW 2065
Hospital information: (02) 9926 7111
Suspected snakebite: call 000, not the hospital switchboard.
North Shore Veterinary Specialist and Emergency Centre
63 Herbert Street, Artarmon NSW 2064
24/7 veterinary option: See the provider’s website for contact details
Keep pets away from the snake and call the veterinary team for transport advice.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly should I call after seeing a snake?
Call while you still know where it is, provided you can do so safely. A snake can disappear into vegetation, a roof space or stored material quickly.
Should I send a photograph?
Only take a photograph from a safe distance using zoom and a physical barrier. Never move closer or block the snake to get a clearer image.
Can I shut the snake in a room?
If it is already inside a room and you can close the door without going near it, do so and place a towel along the door gap. Do not re-enter.
Does a tidy yard stop every snake?
No. Maintenance can reduce cover and prey activity, but snakes can still pass through well-kept North Sydney properties.
What should I tell the catcher?
Give the exact address, safest access point, last-known position, whether the snake is indoors or outside, and any nearby pets, people or site hazards.
More snake safety information
Removal services
Regional service area
Safety guidance
Local and nearby snake-catcher guides
These links connect North Sydney with nearby service pages.
Snake Catcher Neutral Bay
View local safety, property and contact information for Neutral Bay.
Snake Catcher Waverton
View local safety, property and contact information for Waverton.
Snake Catcher Wollstonecraft
View local safety, property and contact information for Wollstonecraft.
North Sydney: additional local response guidance
This update adds practical detail for the places, access conditions and property types that distinguish this suburb. It complements the safety and service information already on this page.
A dense centre beside harbour bushland
The North Sydney CBD is highly built up, but the wider council area includes restored harbour bushland at places such as Balls Head in Waverton, Berry Island in Wollstonecraft, Gore Cove and Tunks Park. North Sydney Council classifies several of these as Wildlife Protection Areas. These reserves show that substantial habitat persists inside a dense urban area; they do not prove the source or species of a snake reported in the CBD.
The service page should therefore lead with building logistics. A snake in a garage cage, courtyard, loading dock or school needs access control and an exact contact before anyone begins searching.
What to tell the catcher
- building name and street entrance
- level, room, bay, cage or plant area
- security or concierge procedure
- visitor parking and lift access
- last exact point, direction and time
- whether doors, traffic or work can be controlled safely
Do not ask staff or residents to surround the area. Preserve CCTV if available, but do not delay the call for footage.
For a possible bite, call 000, keep the person still and follow emergency instructions. Royal North Shore Hospital is the regional major hospital, but emergency services should direct transport.
Four North Sydney settings
Apartment basement: Stop vehicles around the relevant bays. Do not open storage cages or move boxes where the snake disappeared.
Office or retail tenancy: Clear the immediate room or loading area and nominate a manager with keys. Avoid an audience at glass doors.
School or childcare site: Use the site emergency plan, keep students in a separate controlled area and give a named gate or building.
Harbour-side home or garden: Use an upper window or solid barrier for observation. Do not follow a snake onto a steep foreshore path or rock edge.
Need a snake catcher in North Sydney?
Keep your distance and call Snakes in the City. If anyone may have been bitten, call 000 immediately.