Snake Species Found in Blue Mountains

Why Are There So Many Snakes in the Blue Mountains?

A Complete Local Analysis

The Blue Mountains is famous for its dramatic cliffs, deep valleys, and lush eucalypt forests — but it’s also one of NSW’s most active snake regions. With vast bushland, year-round wildlife corridors, and countless water systems, the Blue Mountains provides ideal habitat for both venomous and non-venomous snakes.

For locals, snake sightings are a regular part of life. From a Diamond Python curled up on a deck rail in Blaxland to a Red-Bellied Black Snake moving through creeks in Glenbrook, encounters are common across the entire region.

To understand why, we need to look at the unique geography, environment, and human factors shaping snake activity in the Blue Mountains.

Geographical and Environmental Drivers of Snake Activity
📍 Extensive National Parks & Continuous Bushland

Unlike most other regions, the Blue Mountains has unbroken bushland stretching for tens of kilometres:

Blue Mountains National Park – 247,000 hectares of pristine habitat for pythons, whipsnakes, and brown snakes.

Glenbrook Gorge – Rocky escarpments ideal for Eastern Browns and Red-Bellied Blacks.

Mount Riverview, Warrimoo, Valley Heights – Suburbs directly bordering bushland with frequent sightings.

Megalong Valley & Kanimbla Valley – Farmland edges and rocky ridgelines perfect for brown snakes and whip snakes.

Backyards in suburbs like Winmalee, Faulconbridge, Katoomba, and Springwood often back directly onto wilderness.

💧 Creeks, Waterfalls & Moist Corridors

The Blue Mountains is filled with water systems — ideal for several species:

Glenbrook Creek

Jellybean Pool

Wentworth Creek

Leura Cascades

Hazelbrook waterfall network

Lawson creek system

These waterways act as natural wildlife highways, allowing snakes to travel long distances through the mountains.

Red-Bellied Black Snakes thrive around wetlands and creek lines.
Common Tree Snakes follow moist gullies and fern corridors.

🌿 Large Blocks, Gardens & Wildlife

The Blue Mountains has larger blocks compared to most Sydney suburbs, often filled with:

Wood piles

Under-house access

Compost heaps

Water features

Bird aviaries

Frog-rich ponds

These attract rats, frogs, skinks, and birds — all prime snake food sources.

🌡 Climate & Weather Patterns

The Blue Mountains climate plays a major role:

Spring:
– Snakes emerge from brumation and begin mating, leading to high movement.

Summer:
– Peak sightings.
– Snakes often enter homes seeking shade or water during heatwaves.

Autumn:
– Heavy feeding before winter slows them down.

Winter:
– Brumation in roof spaces, rock crevices, old retaining walls, and hollow logs.

Sudden temperature spikes or early heatwaves often trigger rapid activity across the region.

Blue Mountains Suburbs With High Snake Activity

While snakes can appear anywhere, certain suburbs experience more regular sightings:

Lower Mountains

Glenbrook & Lapstone – Creek systems + sandstone ledges

Blaxland & Warrimoo – Large yards backing onto thick bush

Mount Riverview – High python activity

Springwood & Winmalee – Frequent visits to gardens, sheds, and roof voids

Mid Mountains

Faulconbridge & Linden – Rocky areas ideal for whip snakes

Woodford & Hazelbrook – Waterfall networks attract tree snakes & red-bellies

Lawson – Known for red-bellies and occasional tiger snake sightings

Upper Mountains

Katoomba & Leura – Dense vegetation + cooler climate

Wentworth Falls – Creek lines and escarpment edges

Medlow Bath & Blackheath – High reptile biodiversity, especially pythons and whipsnakes

Common Snake Species in the Blue Mountains

🐍 Red-Bellied Black Snake
Highly venomous, very common around creeks, gullies, and damp bushland.

🐍 Diamond Python
Non-venomous and common around roofs, sheds, decks, and chicken coops.

🐍 Common Tree Snake
Harmless, fast-moving, and frequently found around waterfalls and gardens.

🐍 Eastern Brown Snake
Highly venomous. Seen in more open, rocky or semi-rural areas like Hawkesbury fringes and valley farms.

🐍 Tiger Snake
Found in cool, damp gullies. More common in mid–upper mountains.

🐍 Yellow-Faced Whip Snake
Fast, mildly venomous, often seen basking on driveways and paths.

🐍 Highland Copperhead (less common)
Thrives in cooler climates, occasionally encountered in upper Blue Mountains areas.

🐍 Small-Eyed Snake
Nocturnal and often mistaken for red-bellies. Found under rocks and logs.

Why Snakes Are Thriving in the Blue Mountains

1️⃣ Huge Bushland Connectivity
Thousands of hectares of continuous forest mean snakes can roam freely.

2️⃣ Plentiful Prey

Rats and mice (draw pythons & browns)

Frogs and skinks (draw red-bellies & tree snakes)

Birds and eggs (draw brown tree snakes & pythons)

3️⃣ Human Structures Provide Shelter

Retaining walls

Roof spaces

Decks

Sheds

Timber piles

4️⃣ Storms & Heavy Rain
Force snakes out of gullies and creeks.

5️⃣ Legal Protection
All snakes are protected in NSW — populations remain stable and healthy.

The Ecological Role of Snakes in the Blue Mountains

Snakes are vital for the region’s health:

Natural rodent control

Balance of frog & lizard populations

Indicators of ecosystem health

Without snakes, rodent numbers would explode, leading to property damage and disease spread.

Safety Advice for Blue Mountains Residents

✅ Keep grass short and clear wood piles
✅ Seal gaps under doors (especially in summer)
✅ Keep ponds clean to prevent frog overpopulation
✅ Elevate aviaries and ensure rat-proofing
✅ Use a torch at night when walking around the yard
✅ Never attempt to kill or catch a snake — it is illegal and dangerous

Professional Snake Removal in the Blue Mountains

Snake encounters are a normal part of life in the mountains — but they should always be handled safely.

📞 Shire Snake Wranglers – 24/7 Blue Mountains Snake Catchers
For fast, professional, and humane snake removals, call 0428 458 856 any time.

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