Doonside is one of those suburbs where the snake population is the direct result of where the boundaries fall. Nurragingy Reserve runs along the southern edge of the suburb. Bungarribee Park and the wider Western Sydney Parklands sit immediately to the east. Eastern Creek threads through the surrounding landscape. The suburb is essentially wrapped on two sides by significant reptile habitat — and the residential streets running up against those boundaries see the consequences year after year. Doonside sits firmly in our regular work zone, and we attend jobs here throughout the snake season.
If you have spotted a snake in Doonside, call Sydney Snake Catcher on 1300 599 938. We are the original and longest-running snake catching business of its kind in NSW, licensed, insured, and available every day of the year.
Stay calm. Step back. Bring children and pets indoors. If possible, keep watching the snake until we arrive. Call 1300 599 938.
You do not need to take a photo. You do not need to identify the snake. You do not need to follow it or get close. But if you can, try to keep a visual on the snake from a safe distance. If it disappears into cover, keep watching the spot where you last saw it — snakes will often reappear within minutes once the area goes quiet. Knowing where the snake last was makes our job much faster when we arrive. We stay on the phone with you, explain everything clearly, and guide you through the process from the moment you call.
Nurragingy Reserve, immediately south of Doonside, is one of the larger reserves in the Blacktown LGA — bushland, picnic grounds, ponds, a Chinese garden, established trees, walking trails and significant retained vegetation. It is genuinely good reptile habitat, particularly along its less-trafficked edges. Bungarribee Park and the broader Western Sydney Parklands extend the corridor east. Eastern Creek runs through the wider landscape and connects the area into the rest of the Western Sydney creek system.
The result is that Doonside sits at the intersection of two significant pieces of habitat. Properties on the southern edge of the suburb backing onto Nurragingy see most of the activity. Properties along the eastern edge backing onto parkland and creek line see the next most. The residential streets deeper inside the suburb see less, though never nothing — once a snake is on the boundary streets, it will occasionally cross into the interior following rodents, drainage lines or shelter.
The older housing stock in Doonside adds to the picture. Many homes are 1960s and 1970s brick or fibro, set on slabs with the kinds of gaps and undisturbed corners that browns will exploit. Sheds full of years of accumulated gear. Long boundary fences. Established gardens. Doonside has the layout that suits both species.
Eastern Brown Snake — the species we catch most often in Doonside. Browns follow rodents through the older established blocks, along Nurragingy’s open grassland edges, through the Bungarribee Park bushland and along the Eastern Creek corridor. The older housing stock with gaps under the slab, full sheds and accumulated yard storage gives them plenty of options once they cross into a yard. Highly venomous. Step back, keep a visual from a safe distance, and call us.
Red-bellied Black Snake. Common along the Eastern Creek corridor and in the wetter sections of Nurragingy Reserve. Red-bellied Black Snakes prefer damp ground, frog populations and creek vegetation. They will move into adjoining backyards — particularly properties with pools, ponds or thick garden beds, and properties along the reserve boundary. Venomous, but generally far less defensive than browns. They will move away if given the chance.
Blue-tongued Lizard. Not a snake, but the reptile we are called for almost as often. Blue-tongues are large, slow-moving native skinks that get mistaken for snakes because of their size and the way they flatten their bodies when threatened. They are harmless, beneficial, and good for a garden — they eat snails, slugs and beetles. We will attend, identify the animal on site, and where appropriate either leave it where it is or relocate it to a safer part of the property.
For the Eastern Browns that make up most of our work here, the pattern is older-suburb classic. Garage corners and the gaps under garage rollers. Gaps under the slab on older brick and fibro homes. Sheds with accumulated yard storage. Retaining walls and rock features. Long grass along the boundary fence, particularly the side facing Nurragingy or Bungarribee. Around chicken coops, aviaries and outdoor pet bowls. Inside houses where a brown has followed rodents through a gap in the brickwork or under an external door.
For the Red-bellied Black Snakes, pool pump housings come up consistently — warm, dark, undisturbed and close to water. Garden beds with thick mulch. Pool surrounds and water features. Under decks and verandahs where there is shade and moisture. Along fences backing onto the wetter sections of Nurragingy or the Eastern Creek line.
The reptile-deterrent products on the market — powders, sprays, ultrasonic devices — do not work. Skip them. What does help in Doonside is anything that addresses the food, water and shelter both species are looking for. For Eastern Browns, reducing rodent activity is by far the most effective thing. If you have mice or rats in numbers, browns will eventually follow. For Red-bellied Black Snakes, keep pool pump housings clear, thin out heavy garden beds along boundary fences, and manage frog activity where it has become concentrated against the house. Across both species: keep grass short along the boundary, particularly the sides facing Nurragingy, Bungarribee or the Eastern Creek line. Tidy sheds and accumulated yard storage. Seal gaps under sheds, decks, pool equipment housings, and — on older homes — gaps under the slab and around external doors.
A snake inside a Doonside home is an emergency. Both Eastern Browns and Red-bellied Black Snakes will work their way inside given the chance. Older Doonside homes with gaps in the brickwork, under the slab or beneath external doors are particularly vulnerable. We attend snake-inside-the-house jobs in Doonside regularly through the warmer months. We respond as quickly as we can, locate the snake, remove it safely, and check the house is secure before we leave.
Sydney Snake Catcher is the original and longest-running snake catching business of its kind in NSW. We operate the largest network of qualified snake catchers in the state — when you call, the catcher closest to you is dispatched. We have catchers in the Doonside / Blacktown / Bungarribee corridor regularly through the season, and we know the way snakes move out of Nurragingy and across into adjoining yards from years of catching them on those streets.
We work calmly, without panic, and without making anyone feel judged about the state of their property. Snakes turn up in Doonside because of the reserves and creek corridors the suburb backs onto. That is the landscape, not the housekeeping. We explain what we are doing, what species we are dealing with, why the snake is on the property, and what — if anything — can be done to reduce the chance of the next one settling in.
If you see movement, hear rustling, or notice your pet fixated on one area of the yard, call 1300 599 938 immediately.
Does Doonside get many snake callouts?
Yes. Doonside backs onto Nurragingy Reserve on one side and Bungarribee Park / the Western Sydney Parklands on the other, with the Eastern Creek corridor running through the wider area. The boundary streets see steady activity through the warmer months, and we attend the suburb regularly throughout the snake season.
What snake is most common in Doonside?
The Eastern Brown Snake, with the Red-bellied Black Snake second. Browns are favoured by the older established housing stock and the dryer reserve margins. Red-bellied Black Snakes are more common closer to the Eastern Creek line and the wetter sections of Nurragingy.
Which streets see the most snake activity?
Streets along the southern edge of the suburb backing onto Nurragingy Reserve see the most activity. Streets along the eastern edge backing onto Bungarribee Park and the parkland corridor see the next most. Residential streets deeper inside the suburb see fewer callouts, though never zero.
How quickly can a snake catcher get to Doonside?
We operate the largest network of snake catchers in NSW and dispatch the catcher closest to you. Doonside sits within our core service area and we have catchers in the corridor regularly. Response times vary with traffic and existing jobs, and we prioritise active sightings.
Sydney Snake Catcher — 1300 599 938
Licensed, insured, and on call 24/7 across Doonside and the wider Blacktown LGA.
Nearby Suburbs We Service: Blacktown, Rooty Hill, Woodcroft, Eastern Creek
