Snake Species Found in Sydney

Why Are There So Many Snakes in Sydney? A Complete Citywide Breakdown

Sydney is one of Australia’s largest and busiest cities — but beneath the traffic, construction, and dense suburbs lies a thriving network of bushland, waterways, and habitat corridors that make it one of the most snake-active regions in the country.

From Diamond Pythons basking on fences in the North Shore, to Red-Bellied Black Snakes cruising through wetlands in the Inner West, to Eastern Browns appearing in industrial pockets of Western Sydney, snake encounters are far more common than most residents realise.

To understand why, we need to look at Sydney’s unique mix of landscapes, climate, and human influence.

Geographical & Environmental Drivers of Snake Activity in Sydney
📍 A City Surrounded by Bushland

Sydney is unusual for a major global city — it’s wrapped in hundreds of square kilometres of natural bushland:

Royal National Park (South) – pythons, red-bellies, whip snakes

Ku-ring-gai Chase & Garigal National Parks (North) – high python activity

Blue Mountains & Cumberland Plain Woodlands (West) – Eastern Browns, Tigers

Sydney Harbour National Park (East) – tree snakes and diamond pythons

These natural areas connect directly to many suburbs, allowing snakes to travel freely through green belts.

💧 Waterways & Drainage Corridors

Sydney is built around a massive network of rivers, creeks, and stormwater channels:

Georges River

Cooks River

Parramatta River

Hawkesbury-Nepean system

Hundreds of drains linking suburbs to bushland

These act as wildlife highways, especially for species like Red-Bellied Black Snakes and Diamond Pythons.

🌿 Suburban Attractants

Sydney’s suburbs offer perfect shelter and food sources:

Compost heaps

Overgrown gardens

Sheds and wood heaps

Backyard ponds

Bird aviaries and chicken coops

Pet food left outdoors attracting rats

Where there are rats, there are pythons and brown snakes.

🌡 Climate & Seasonal Patterns

Sydney’s warm, humid climate drives strong snake activity:

Spring: Mating season, snakes travel long distances

Summer: Peaks in sightings — snakes enter homes for shade

Autumn: Heavy feeding before brumation

Winter: Reduced activity but common in roofs, garages, and under houses

Suburbs in Sydney Where Snakes Are Common

While snakes can appear anywhere, the highest activity areas include:

North Shore & Northern Beaches

St Ives, Belrose, Terrey Hills: Diamond Pythons & Whip Snakes

Forestville, Davidson: Red-Bellied Black Snakes near creeks

Western Sydney

Penrith, Blacktown, Mt Druitt: Eastern Browns & Tigers

Quakers Hill, Kellyville, Rouse Hill: Pythons & tree snakes

Inner West

Marrickville, Ashfield, Strathfield: Red-Bellied Black Snakes in wetlands

Five Dock, Haberfield: Diamond Pythons following rat populations

South & Sutherland Shire

Engadine, Heathcote, Barden Ridge: High python and whip snake numbers

Cronulla & Woolooware: Tree snakes and coastal pythons

Eastern Suburbs

Vaucluse, Rose Bay, Randwick: Tree snakes & pythons

Botany Wetlands: Red-Bellied Black Snakes

Common Snake Species in Sydney

Based on relocation data and sightings across Greater Sydney:

🐍 Diamond Python – Harmless; common in roofs, trees, and sheds

🐍 Red-Bellied Black Snake – Highly venomous; found near water

🐍 Eastern Brown Snake – Extremely venomous; seen in drier suburbs

🐍 Common Tree Snake – Harmless; fast and often misidentified

🐍 Golden-Crowned Snake – Nocturnal and shy; bush-adjacent suburbs

🐍 Yellow-Faced Whip Snake – Mildly venomous; sunny gardens

🐍 Brown Tree Snake – Arboreal; often enters roofs at night

🐍 Eastern Tiger Snake – Dangerous; wetlands and river systems

🐍 Small-eyed Snake – Nocturnal species found in sandstone bushland

Why Snakes Are Thriving in Sydney

1️⃣ Abundant Bushland & Green Corridors
2️⃣ Overflowing Rat Populations in urban and industrial areas
3️⃣ Human-created shelter spaces (sheds, gardens, timber piles)
4️⃣ Storms & heavy rain flushing snakes out of drains and creeks
5️⃣ Wildlife protection laws keeping populations healthy

Sydney’s ecosystem benefits massively from snakes — they keep rat populations under control and help maintain ecological balance.

Safety Tips for Sydney Residents

✔ Keep grass short
✔ Remove rubbish piles
✔ Trim overhanging branches
✔ Seal gaps around doors and garages
✔ Keep ponds clean & reduce frog attractants
✔ Supervise pets near bush edges
✔ Always back away slowly from a snake

24/7 Snake Catcher Sydney – Shire Snake Wranglers

If you see a snake in your Sydney property:

📞 Call 0428 458 856
Licensed • Insured • Fast Response • Sydney-Wide Coverage

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