Snake Catcher Penrith and Lower Blue Mountains

The river is the start of a different landscape

At Penrith the Nepean is a major landscape feature. West of the river, the lower mountains introduce sandstone ridges, wooded slopes and gullies. Glenbrook is the eastern gateway to Blue Mountains National Park, whose tracks, waterways and forest sit close to residential areas. NSW National Parks describes the park’s different areas.

A straight-line distance on a map says little about reaching the back of a mountain property. Describe the side access, steps, slope and last sighting. If the snake is down a gully, do not follow it to keep it in view. Your last safe observation is enough to start the conversation.

Which snakes are recorded in the mountains?

The Blue Mountains fauna inventory includes red-bellied black snakes, eastern brown snakes, diamond pythons, tiger snakes and highland copperheads. The region spans different elevations and habitats, so that list is not a claim that all are equally likely in Glenbrook or Springwood. Read the council-derived fauna inventory.

A cold morning does not establish that an unfamiliar snake is safe to approach. Neither does its size. Do not try to identify it by lifting rocks or moving leaf litter; give the catcher a description or an existing safely taken photograph.

A useful report from a bush block

• Name the suburb, street number and the driveway that leads to the property.
• Say whether the animal is near the house, beneath a deck, in a shed or beyond the maintained garden.
• Mention steep steps, locked access and dogs before the catcher arrives.
• Keep children and pets away from the affected boundary, and leave fallen timber or rocks untouched.

Searches have practical limits

A catcher can assess the reported area and accessible shelter. A snake that has moved into extensive bushland may no longer be locatable. We explain those limits rather than offering a guarantee that a whole bush block has been cleared.

For a snake encountered on a national-park walk, move away and give it room. Report a concern at a busy managed facility to park staff. Private property attendance and park wildlife management are different situations; confirm the correct response when you call.

Medical and veterinary help

Suspected bite to a person: call Triple Zero (000) immediately. Keep the person still and follow the ambulance operator’s instructions. Do not wait for a catcher or try to catch the snake for identification.

Nepean Hospital is on Derby Street, Kingswood, at the foot of the mountains and provides emergency care.

Possible bite to a pet: contact a vet immediately, even if you cannot see a bite mark. SASH Western Sydney, 1 Rowood Road, Prospect. Open 24/7 for emergencies. Call See the provider’s website for contact details.

Prospect is a regional 24-hour veterinary option east of Penrith; contact the hospital for advice before travelling with a potentially bitten pet. These services are independent of Snakes in the City. Contact details checked September 2026.

Does this cover the whole Blue Mountains?

This page describes Penrith and Lower Blue Mountains enquiries. If you are further west, state the town before booking so availability can be checked. We do not claim that a catcher is stationed in every mountain town.

Local information and preparation

See Penrith, Emu Plains, Glenbrook and Springwood. After a sighting has been resolved, keep frequently used paths visible and store equipment so you can see before reaching behind it. Maintaining your own access does not require disturbing protected bushland.

Penrith district suburb guides

For more specific access and property advice, choose the relevant local guide:

South Penrith covers homes and Jamison Park, including what to do when a pet may have had contact with a snake.

• St Marys snake catcher — established homes, town-centre premises and South Creek surrounds.
• Erskine Park snake catcher — residential yards, warehouses and loading-area safety.
• Jamisontown snake catcher — Nepean riverfront landmarks, trailer areas and property access.
• Claremont Meadows snake catcher — homes, playgrounds and shared recreation spaces.

Lower mountains property guides

Blaxland snake help covers village access, bush-edge gardens and the Mitchells Pass area, with local veterinary contacts and a link to observation-map grid B4.

For steep escarpment blocks and gorge-side approaches, see Lapstone. Further west, Warrimoo covers station-area orientation, Florabella Pass and subfloor access precautions.

Mount Riverview snake help covers bush-facing properties, sloping access and the Hall Park area, with local emergency and veterinary references.

A Cullen Avenue snake beneath tin

At a Cullen Avenue property in Jordan Springs, John quickly located a red-bellied black snake beneath some tin, captured it and humanely relocated it. If a snake disappears under stored material, leave the area undisturbed and report its last known position. Read the Cullen Avenue call-out.