Local snake removal · available 24/7

Snake Catcher Middle Cove

On Middle Cove’s steep, bush-connected blocks, a snake can disappear quickly beneath groundcover, into sandstone gaps, behind retaining walls or towards a roof-access point. Keep people and pets well back, watch from a secure position if possible, and call Snakes in the City for professional capture and removal.

Call for snake removal: 0411 103 488What to do now
✓ 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 Middle Cove

Create distance first. Do not identify, corner, touch, trap or kill the snake. Never put yourself between it and an escape route.

1

Move away

Bring children and pets indoors or into a closed room. Give the snake several metres of space and avoid sudden movement.

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.

Middle Cove’s Sugarloaf Bay bushland interface

Willoughby City Council describes Harold Reid Reserve as a 37.7-hectare reserve and the city’s second largest bushland reserve. It links north to North Arm Reserve and south to the Castlecrag Northern Escarpment. Homes meet its western boundary, while bushland and the shores of Sugarloaf Bay wrap around the other sides.

The reserve is steep in places and rises abruptly to about 100 metres above the surrounding landscape. Its northern half lies in the Scotts Creek catchment and its southern half in the Sugarloaf Creek catchment, both within the wider Middle Harbour system. Nearby, North Arm Reserve follows the northern shoreline of Sugarloaf Bay across 45.5 hectares of steep sandstone slope.

Those are landscape facts, not proof that a snake came from a reserve or that a particular species is present at an address. For a resident, the practical issue is that rock shelves, shaded gullies, retaining walls, drainage, rooflines and mature vegetation can give any moving animal several concealed routes.

If the sighting is outside, stay on the house side of the boundary and use the snake-in-the-yard guidance; do not climb down a slope or enter the reserve to follow it. If it crosses a doorway, close the room only when this can be done without approaching it and follow the indoor snake guidance.

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.

Harley Jones from Snakes in the City
Harley Jones from Snakes in the City. This photograph identifies Harley Jones. Our back office confirms who is available for each call-out. It is not presented as a specific Middle Cove call-out. Photo: Snakes in the City.
Diamond python in Sydney sandstone bushland
Diamond python in Sydney sandstone bushland. A first-hand Sydney field photograph showing relevant habitat; it is not presented as a specific Middle Cove call-out. Photo: Snakes in the City.
Red-bellied black snake in Sydney wetland habitat
Red-bellied black snake in Sydney wetland habitat. A first-hand Sydney field photograph showing relevant habitat; it is not presented as a specific Middle Cove call-out. Photo: Snakes in the City.

Snakes that may occur in the Lower North Shore and harbour-side suburbs

This is regional context, not a claim that either species occurs on every Middle Cove property. Never rely on colour alone: age, lighting and natural variation make quick identification unreliable. If a clear photograph can be taken from behind a barrier without moving closer, see the safe Sydney snake-identification guide.

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 Middle Cove 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.

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.

Verify veterinary details

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 Middle Cove 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.

Choose advice for where the snake was seen

These guides answer different immediate questions. Use the one that matches the situation rather than searching the property for more evidence.

Pet close to the snake

Call the animal away if safe and seek urgent veterinary advice if contact is possible. Read the pet-safety steps.

For broader information, see all snake-removal services, the Lower North Shore service area and the main snake-safety guide.

These links connect Middle Cove with nearby service pages.

Need a snake catcher in Middle Cove?

Keep your distance and call Snakes in the City. If anyone may have been bitten, call 000 immediately.

Call 0411 103 488Medical emergency: 000