Snake Catcher Eastern Suburbs

Coastal scrub and wetlands survive among the streets

Randwick Environment Park contains Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub and wetland habitat. Along the coast, reserves and vegetated edges create a different setting from the apartment streets and commercial centres nearby. Randwick Council’s Environment Park guide explains the local landscape.

Randwick Council has also published snake advice following reports around coastal walking areas, including South Maroubra, Malabar and Little Bay. Its 2022 article is evidence of past reports, not a live warning map. Read the council advice.

Where to direct the response

For a snake on private property, call with the street address, the last visible location and whether it has entered a building. For a public reserve or beach access, notify the responsible council or site manager and give the nearest entrance. Avoid gathering a crowd around it or following it through dunes and planting.

Snakes in the City accepts Eastern Suburbs enquiries as part of its Sydney service. Attendance depends on the location and available catcher; this page does not imply that we have a shopfront in each suburb. State Randwick, Coogee, Maroubra, Bondi or your actual location at the start of the call.

Snakes to be aware of

These snakes occur in the wider Sydney region. Coastal vegetation and wetland edges can provide suitable habitat, but we do not have a street-by-street species count for the Eastern Suburbs. Identification requires more than the postcode.

• Eastern brown snake — a venomous species associated with open country, woodland and disturbed ground.
• Red-bellied black snake — a venomous snake often associated with creeks, dams and other damp habitat.
• Yellow-faced whip snake — a small venomous species; size is no reason to pick up an unfamiliar snake.

Colour alone is not a reliable identification. A photograph taken from an already safe position may help; do not move closer to obtain one.

A small courtyard can still have a hidden exit

Keep people and animals out of the affected courtyard or room. Avoid moving pots, outdoor furniture or stored gear to uncover the snake. If it moves into shared property, tell the building manager and keep access controlled from a safe position.

When calling from a business, explain whether customers use the area and who can authorise entry. At a larger complex, name the actual access gate rather than only the building’s postal address. These details help avoid delays while the catcher is trying to reach the right place.

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.

Prince of Wales Hospital adult emergency department is accessed from Magill Street, Randwick. Children have a separate emergency department at Sydney Children’s Hospital. Call 000 for suspected snakebite and follow its advice.

Possible bite to a pet: contact a vet immediately, even if you cannot see a bite mark. SASH Alexandria, 5/476 Gardeners Road, Alexandria. Open 24/7 for emergencies: See the provider’s website for contact details.

These services are independent of Snakes in the City. Contact details checked September 2026.

What if a snake is on the beach?

Leave it alone and keep others and dogs back. An unfamiliar snake at the shoreline should not be picked up or returned to the water by hand. Alert lifeguards, beach staff or the responsible authority and describe its position from a safe distance.

What does an inspection prove?

An inspection addresses the reported concern and the areas that can be safely checked. If a snake has disappeared into inaccessible cover, finding it cannot be guaranteed. The catcher can explain the findings and useful next steps; an inspection does not make every corner of a site permanently snake-free.

Other Sydney information

For neighbouring coverage see Sydney City and Inner West, or read how we arrange a catcher. For an urgent sighting, use the telephone rather than waiting for an online enquiry reply.