Three snakes account for most of our call-outs in Somersby: the Diamond Python, Red-bellied Black Snake and, more than in many other Central Coast suburbs, the Eastern Brown Snake. The drier acreage and rural-residential country genuinely suit Eastern Browns, which is not the case everywhere on the Coast.
Found a snake on your property? Call The Snake Catchers on 1300 599 938. The catcher who attends lives and works on the Central Coast and knows the local species, terrain and properties well.
Diamond Pythons are the snakes we attend most often in Somersby. They are non-venomous but large and powerfully built, with adults reaching between two and three metres. They have black scales covered with cream or yellow markings.
They follow rats and possums into roof cavities, sandstone walls and mature gardens. Where it is safe for one to remain, our catcher may recommend leaving it in place because Diamond Pythons are beneficial and help control rodents.
Red-bellied Black Snakes are right alongside Diamond Pythons for call volume in Somersby. They are glossy black with a red or pink underside, with adults generally reaching between one and a half and two metres.
These snakes follow frogs and moisture and are regularly found around drainage lines, creeks, pool areas and damp garden beds, particularly after rain. They are venomous but will generally move away when given enough space.
Eastern Brown Snakes are genuinely regular in Somersby—more so than along much of the coastal strip. The drier ground, cleared bushland edges, ridge country and rural-residential paddocks provide suitable habitat.
Their colour ranges from pale tan through to dark brown or almost black, and adults commonly reach between one and a half and two metres. Eastern Brown Snakes are highly venomous and considered Australia’s most dangerous land snake, although the risk remains low if you keep your distance.
They may be found in sheds, garages, woodpiles, chook pens, along fire-trail edges and across open paddocks.
Golden-crowned Snakes are small, nocturnal snakes that generally measure less than 60 centimetres. They are mildly venomous, but their bites are not considered dangerous to people.
They favour sandstone, retaining walls, damp leaf litter and cool, shaded parts of the garden.
Green Tree Snakes are slender, fast-moving and confident climbers. Despite the name, they may be green, olive, grey or almost black, usually with a yellow underside.
They are completely non-venomous and are regularly found in gardens, trees, shrubs, on fences and across pergolas.
Eastern Blue-tongued Lizards are not snakes, but they are the reptiles we receive the most calls about in Somersby overall.
They are large, slow-moving and prone to hissing, flattening their bodies and displaying their bright blue tongues when startled. They are non-venomous and useful around the garden, where they feed on snails, slugs and insects.
Lace Monitors have a regular and significant presence around Somersby. The surrounding bushland and proximity to national parks make this excellent Lace Monitor country.
They generally pose no danger when left alone but can deliver a serious defensive bite or scratch if cornered or restrained.
Every animal on this list is protected under NSW law. Only an appropriately licensed handler should catch or relocate one.
Keep your distance and do not attempt to handle or move the snake yourself. Watching where it goes is the most useful thing you can do. If it remains visible, continue watching from a safe position. If it moves into cover, remember exactly where it went.
That information is more useful to the catcher than a photograph or an attempt to identify the species. Call 1300 599 938, and we will talk you through what to do while the catcher is travelling.
If you think it is an Eastern Brown Snake, distance matters most. Do not corner it, approach it for a photograph or try to move it with a stick, rake or other object. Give it a clear escape route and continue watching from well back.
If a Diamond Python is in the roof, there is no need to panic. It is non-venomous, but do not enter the roof or attempt to pull it out. Leave it alone until the catcher arrives.
If a snake enters the house through an open door, a gap around pipes or a worn seal, leave the room and close the door behind you if it is safe to do so. Call 1300 599 938 immediately.
Treat every suspected snakebite as a medical emergency:
Snake-deterrent sprays, powders and ultrasonic devices do not work. Do not waste money on them.
For Diamond Pythons, reduce rat and possum activity in the roof, as that is what attracts them. For Red-bellied Black Snakes, keep pool-pump areas and damp garden beds tidy and manage drainage lines close to the house.
For Eastern Brown Snakes, control rodents, keep woodpiles off the ground and remove accumulated rubbish and stored materials. For Green Tree Snakes and Golden-crowned Snakes, clearing heavy leaf litter and dense vegetation near the house may reduce sightings.
Eastern Blue-tongued Lizards are not a problem requiring a solution. They are beneficial native animals and worth having around.
General property maintenance also helps:
Call The Snake Catchers on 1300 599 938 at any time for snake removal in Somersby and the surrounding Central Coast area.
If you find a snake on your Somersby property, call The Snake Catchers on 1300 599 938. We provide licensed snake removal for homes, acreage properties, farms, stables, factories, warehouses and other commercial premises throughout the area. An estimated arrival time will be provided when the booking is confirmed.
Keep a safe distance and watch where the snake goes. Its current position, or the exact place it was last seen, gives the catcher the best chance of locating it. Do not attempt to catch, trap or move the snake, and do not approach it for a photograph or identification.
Somersby sits on the plateau above the Central Coast and contains an unusually broad mixture of habitats. Rural acreage, horse properties, orchards, farm buildings, factories, warehouses, the Somersby industrial area and extensive surrounding bushland all occur within the suburb.
This variety means snakes may be encountered in residential, agricultural, industrial and commercial settings. Dams, drainage lines, paddocks, sheds, roof cavities, landscaped boundaries and stored materials can all provide shelter or access to prey.
Eastern Brown Snakes may occur around open ground, paddocks, sheds, stables and places supporting rats or mice. They are highly venomous and should never be approached, regardless of their size or behaviour. Step back, watch where the snake moves and call 1300 599 938.
Diamond Pythons are also found throughout the Central Coast hinterland. They may enter roof cavities, farm buildings, factories and sheds through gaps around tiles, eaves and other structural openings. Roof spaces provide shelter as well as access to rodents and possums. Although non-venomous, Diamond Pythons can bite when handled and should not be removed without the correct training and equipment.
Lace Monitors may travel from surrounding bushland onto acreage, residential and commercial properties. These large native goannas are capable climbers and may investigate compost areas, poultry enclosures, waste-storage areas and other possible food sources. They will generally move away when given enough room but can cause a serious defensive bite or scratch if cornered.
Red-bellied Black Snakes are more closely associated with damp habitats. Around Somersby, they may be found near dams, creeks, drainage channels, irrigation systems and seasonal wet areas supporting frogs. They can also travel well away from water and should never be assumed harmless because of where they are found.
The Somersby industrial area creates a different set of snake-removal challenges. Snakes may enter factories, warehouses, workshops, storage facilities and distribution centres through gaps beneath roller doors, openings around pipes, loading docks, drains or landscaped boundaries adjoining suitable habitat.
They may then shelter behind machinery, beneath pallets, inside storage areas or among building materials. Attempting to locate the snake by shifting pallets, operating machinery or moving stock can drive it deeper into the premises and place staff at unnecessary risk.
If a snake is found at a workplace:
Let us know about any site-access requirements, security gates, loading areas or workplace inductions when booking. This allows the catcher to enter the property and reach the snake without unnecessary delays.
The Snake Catchers attends offices, retail premises, factories, warehouses, workshops, farms, stables, childcare centres and other workplaces throughout Somersby. We understand that a snake sighting can interrupt operations, so our priority is to locate and remove the animal safely while allowing the business to return to normal as quickly as possible.
Native snakes and Lace Monitors are protected wildlife in New South Wales. Commercial capture and relocation should be undertaken only by a suitably qualified handler authorised under the appropriate NSW reptile catch-and-release licence.
Call The Snake Catchers on 1300 599 938 for 24-hour snake removal at homes, farms, factories and businesses throughout Somersby and the surrounding Central Coast.
Yes. The catcher who attends your call lives and works on the Central Coast. Call 1300 599 938 and you will be connected with someone who knows the local species, terrain and properties.
It depends on where the catcher is when your call comes through, but most Somersby calls are attended within around 30 minutes, often sooner. We will provide an estimated arrival time when the booking is confirmed and talk you through what to do while the catcher is travelling.
The Diamond Python is the snake we attend most often in Somersby, particularly in roof cavities and around mature gardens.
The Red-bellied Black Snake is also regularly encountered along creek lines, drainage corridors and gullies. The Eastern Brown Snake is a genuine presence because of the drier acreage, cleared ground and bushland edges found throughout the area.
Green Tree Snakes and Golden-crowned Snakes are also regularly attended. Lace Monitors turn up on acreage and properties adjoining bushland and reserves.
Yes, it is a regular occurrence around Somersby. Diamond Pythons follow rats and possums into roof cavities, particularly in older tiled-roof homes and on bushland-edge properties.
We attend roof-python calls throughout the year. Do not enter the roof or attempt to pull the python out yourself. A trained catcher can assess the situation and remove it without harming the animal.
Horses and larger livestock are generally at lower risk than dogs, partly because of their size. Dogs are the animals most likely to encounter snakes on acreage and rural-residential properties, particularly around woodpiles, sheds, stables, dams and creek edges during the warmer months.
If you suspect that a dog or another animal has been bitten, treat it as a veterinary emergency and contact the nearest vet immediately.
No. Snakes move through properties throughout the Central Coast. A sighting is not necessarily a reflection of how tidy or well maintained your property is. It generally means the surrounding environment provides food, water, warmth, shelter or a route to somewhere else.
Not usually. Most snakes are solitary, and a single sighting generally involves one animal moving through the area.
There are exceptions. Snakes may come together during breeding or use the same suitable shelter at different times. However, seeing one snake does not mean several are living on the property.
No. Native snakes are protected wildlife in NSW, and several species found around Somersby are venomous. This includes the Eastern Brown Snake, Australia’s most dangerous land snake.
Diamond Pythons are non-venomous, but they are large and powerful enough to cause injury when handled. Many snakebites occur when someone attempts to catch, kill or move a snake themselves.
Step back, keep watching where it goes from a safe distance and call 1300 599 938.
Yes. All native snakes, together with Eastern Blue-tongued Lizards, Eastern Water Dragons and Lace Monitors, are protected under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. Only an appropriately licensed catcher should handle or relocate them.
Call The Snake Catchers on 1300 599 938. We are available throughout Somersby and the wider Central Coast.
