Point Frederick’s mature gardens, roof cavities, retaining walls and Brisbane Water frontage provide habitat for several native reptiles. Species that may be encountered include Diamond Pythons, Red-bellied Black Snakes, Common Tree Snakes, Golden-crowned Snakes, Eastern Brown Snakes, Blue-tongued Lizards and Eastern Water Dragons. Lace Monitors may also occasionally move into residential areas.
This is not a ranking of local call-outs. The species present will vary between properties and seasons.
Diamond Pythons are large, non-venomous snakes found along coastal New South Wales. Their dark scales are marked with cream or yellow diamonds and rosettes.
They are capable climbers and may enter roof cavities through damaged tiles, gaps beneath eaves or other openings. Roof spaces provide shelter and may contain rats, mice or possums. Diamond Pythons may also be found on fences, decks, sandstone walls and within established gardens.
Although non-venomous, they can bite when handled or restrained. A python inside a roof or frequently used area should be assessed by a trained catcher. The Australian Museum provides further information about Diamond Pythons.
Red-bellied Black Snakes are venomous snakes with a glossy black upper body and red, pink or orange colouring along the lower sides. They are usually associated with moist habitats, including streams, swamps, lagoons and drainage areas, but may also travel well away from water.
They feed on frogs, tadpoles, fish, reptiles and small mammals. Around residential properties, they may shelter in thick vegetation, beneath decks, around ponds or drainage areas and inside pool-equipment enclosures.
Give the snake room to escape and never attempt to handle or corner it. The Australian Museum describes the species as generally shy but medically significant.
Common Tree Snakes are slender, non-venomous snakes that vary considerably in colour. Individuals may be green, olive, brown, grey or almost black, usually with a paler belly.
They are active climbers and may be seen moving through shrubs, trees, pergolas, fences and rooflines. Their diet includes frogs, skinks, geckos and other small animals.
A Common Tree Snake should still be left alone. Identification from colour alone can be unreliable, particularly when the snake is partly concealed or seen in poor light.
Golden-crowned Snakes are small, nocturnal snakes with a dark body and a pale marking across the head. They commonly shelter beneath rocks, timber, garden edging and leaf litter.
The species is venomous but is not considered dangerous to humans. However, it should not be handled. When threatened, a Golden-crowned Snake may flatten its head and raise the front of its body defensively. The Australian Museum provides further identification and safety information.
Eastern Brown Snakes are highly venomous and occur throughout much of eastern Australia, including the wider Gosford and Central Coast region. Their colour is extremely variable and may range from pale tan to dark brown or almost black.
They may be found around open ground, sheds, garages, stored materials and places supporting rats or mice. An Eastern Brown Snake should never be approached or deliberately blocked from escaping.
If you see a suspected Eastern Brown Snake, step back, watch where it goes and call 1300 599 938.
Blue-tongued Lizards are large native skinks, not snakes. They may shelter in garden beds, beneath outdoor furniture, inside garages or sheds and around rockeries and compost areas.
When threatened, a Blue-tongue may flatten its body, open its mouth, display its blue tongue and hiss. This is a defensive display. Leave the lizard alone and allow it to move away unless it is trapped, injured or in immediate danger.
Eastern Water Dragons are large native lizards associated with waterways and suitable surrounding vegetation. They may also use gardens, decks, rocks and pool areas.
They have strong limbs, a crest along the back and a long, laterally flattened tail adapted for swimming. Most outdoor sightings do not require removal. Assistance may be appropriate when an animal is trapped, injured or confined inside a building. The Australian Museum has further information about Eastern Water Dragons.
Lace Monitors are large native goannas that may occasionally move from bushland into residential areas. They are capable climbers and feed on carrion, eggs, insects, reptiles, birds and small mammals.
A Lace Monitor will usually move away if given sufficient room. Do not corner, feed or attempt to catch it. Large monitors can cause a serious bite or scratch when restrained.
Depending on the species, reptiles may shelter or travel through:
Never reach into a concealed space when a snake may be present.
Step back and keep watching where the snake goes from a safe position. Do not approach it to take a photograph, attempt to identify it at close range or use an object to move it.
If the snake disappears, remember its last known location and leave the surrounding area undisturbed. Do not begin searching beneath furniture, vegetation or stored materials.
Call The Snake Catchers on 1300 599 938 and describe whether the snake is inside or outside, where it was last seen and whether anyone may have been bitten.
Do not enter the roof or attempt to pull the python through an opening. Keep the area below the roof access clear and call 1300 599 938.
Diamond Pythons are non-venomous, but roof removals may involve restricted access, electrical wiring and structural hazards.
Leave the room without approaching the snake. Close the internal door if this can be done safely and place a rolled towel against the gap underneath.
Do not move furniture or appliances to search for it. A snake inside a house requires prompt attention, but it is not automatically a medical emergency unless someone may have been bitten.
Treat every suspected snakebite as an emergency:
Follow the instructions given by the emergency operator. These steps are consistent with current NSW Health snakebite guidance.
No property can be made completely snake-proof. Commercial repellents and ultrasonic devices should not be relied upon as a substitute for practical property maintenance.
Useful measures include:
Before sealing a roof cavity or structural opening, confirm that no native animal is already inside.
Native snakes and lizards are protected wildlife in New South Wales. Commercial capture and relocation should be undertaken by a suitably qualified handler authorised under the appropriate
Call The Snake Catchers on 1300 599 938 for snake removal in Point Frederick.
Will the catcher be a genuine local?
Yes. The catcher who attends your call lives and works on the Central Coast. Call 1300 599 938 and you're connected with someone local.
How quickly will someone get to me?
It depends where the catcher is when your call comes in, but most Point Frederick calls are attended within around thirty minutes, often sooner. We stay on the phone with you until they arrive.
What's the most common snake in Point Frederick?
Diamond python is the species we attend most often here, particularly in roof cavities and around mature gardens. Red bellied black snake is next, along creek lines and around pool surrounds. Green tree snakes and golden crowned snakes are both regularly attended. Lace monitors also turn up across the bushland edge and reserve adjacent blocks, the Central Coast has one of the heaviest lace monitor populations in the state.
I'm near the water. Does that change anything?
Yes. Being close to the Brisbane Water foreshore means heavier red bellied black activity, since the water concentrates frog numbers. You'll also see eastern water dragons along the foreshore and around pool surrounds, often mistaken for snakes before people realise what they are. Python movement is heavier along the water adjacent bushland too.
Is a python in the roof normal?
Yes, it's a regular occurrence here. Pythons follow rats and possums into roof cavities, particularly in older tiled roof homes and on bushland edge blocks. We attend roof python calls year round, and a trained catcher removes them without harming the animal.
Have I done something wrong to end up with a snake on the property?
No. Snakes move through every property on the Central Coast. It isn't a reflection of how tidy your yard is, it just means the local environment offers food, water, warmth or shelter.
Does one sighting mean there are more nearby?
No. Snakes don't travel in pairs or form groups, and they don't nest in suburban yards. One sighting almost always means one snake.
Should I try to remove it myself?
No. All native snakes in NSW are protected wildlife, and several species found in Point Frederick are venomous, including the eastern brown, the most dangerous land snake in Australia. Diamond pythons aren't venomous but are large and strong enough to cause injury if handled. Most snakebite hospital admissions happen when someone tries to catch, kill or move a snake themselves. Step back, keep a visual, and call 1300 599 938.
Are these animals actually protected by law?
Yes. All native snakes, along with blue tongue lizards, eastern water dragons and lace monitors, are protected under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. Only a licensed catcher can legally handle or relocate them.
Call The Snake Catchers on 1300 599 938, on call across Point Frederick and the wider Central Coast.
