Riverstone is different from most of the suburbs we work in across the Blacktown LGA. Despite the growth corridor development pushing in from Marsden Park, Schofields and Grantham Farm, large parts of Riverstone are still genuinely rural — acreage blocks, horse properties, hobby farms, sheds full of feed, paddocks running down to fence lines, and creek country threading through the lot of it. That landscape produces a very specific snake problem. Feed bins draw rodents. Rodents draw Eastern Brown Snakes. Browns are the number one species we catch here, by a clear margin, and Rob Ambrose — one of our senior catchers — has been working snakes around Riverstone for over a decade.
If you have spotted a snake in Riverstone, 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.
If you see a snake in Riverstone:
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.
The chain runs in one direction and it is reliable. Wherever there is stored feed — horse feed, chook feed, grain bags in a shed, hay piles, stockpiled bedding — there will be mice and rats. Wherever there are mice and rats in numbers, there will be Eastern Brown Snakes. Browns are specialist rodent hunters, and an acreage block with horses and stored feed is, from a brown snake’s point of view, an exceptional hunting ground.
We see this pattern across the entire Riverstone area. Feed sheds, tack rooms, hay storage, stables, chook runs, garage corners where dog or horse feed is kept — these are the spots we are most often called to. The owner has usually noticed mice or rat activity first. Browns arrive afterwards.
This is also why simply seeing a snake on an acreage block does not mean anything is wrong with the property. It means the property is functioning the way an acreage block does — and snakes are part of that.
Eastern Brown Snake — by a clear margin the most common. Riverstone is brown snake country. Browns thrive in the open paddock, the long fence lines, the feed sheds and the disturbed margins between buildings and bushland that define an acreage property. They follow rodents, they move fast, and they will hide quickly. Highly venomous. They are the snake we catch most often around horse properties, on acreage blocks, in feed sheds and along the boundary fences that separate paddock from yard. Step back, keep a visual from a safe distance, and call us.
Red-bellied Black Snake. Less common in Riverstone than browns, but present along South Creek and the wetter sections of the creek and drainage system. Red-bellies prefer damp ground, frog populations and creek vegetation, so the properties most likely to see them are those backing onto South Creek, those with dams or ponds on the block, and those with permanent moisture around stables, troughs or low-lying ground. 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 are frequently mistaken for snakes because of their size and the way they flatten their bodies when threatened. They are harmless, beneficial, and good for the property — they eat snails, slugs and beetles. On Riverstone acreage they are common around gardens, sheds and feed areas. 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.
Across acreage and rural-residential blocks in Riverstone, browns turn up in the same places again and again. Feed sheds and feed rooms — almost always the first place to check. Stables and stable surrounds. Hay storage areas. Chook runs and aviaries, particularly around stored grain. Tack rooms. Sheds and workshops with accumulated junk or stored grain. Around water troughs. Along the base of paddock fences. Under verandahs, decks and timber piles. Around dog kennels and dog feed bins. Inside the house itself when a snake has worked its way along the foundations and through a gap under a door or in the brickwork.
On smaller residential blocks in the Riverstone township, the pattern shifts more toward the standard suburban hiding spots — garages, garden beds, sheds and pool equipment — but the brown bias remains. This is brown snake country.
The most effective thing you can do on a Riverstone property — by a wide margin — is reduce the rodent population. That means storing feed in sealed metal containers rather than open bags. Cleaning up spilled grain. Setting and maintaining bait stations around feed areas. Sealing gaps in feed sheds. Cleaning out stable areas and hay storage regularly. Keeping the area immediately around feed rooms and stables clear of long grass, stacked timber and accumulated junk. None of this will guarantee you never see a brown — the surrounding landscape will keep delivering them — but a property with reduced rodent activity is a property that browns are far less likely to settle on.
Snake powders, sprays and ultrasonic repellents do not work. The marketing is persistent and the products are profitable, but they have no measurable effect on snake behaviour. Spend the money on rodent control and physical site management instead.
A snake inside a Riverstone home, stable, feed shed or workshop is an emergency. Brown snakes in particular will follow rodents wherever they are, including into the house. They get in through gaps under doors, vents, plumbing penetrations, gaps in the brickwork on older homes, and through open garage and stable doors. We attend snake-inside-the-building jobs across Riverstone regularly through the warmer months — residential, rural and commercial. We respond as quickly as we can, locate the snake, remove it safely, and ensure the building 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, which means when you call, the catcher closest to you is dispatched. Rob Ambrose, one of our senior catchers, has been working snakes around Riverstone for over a decade. He knows the acreage, he knows the streets, he knows the recurring job patterns and he knows the difference between a brown that is moving through and a brown that has settled in.
We work calmly and without panic. We do not judge the state of a feed shed or a yard. Browns turn up on Riverstone acreage because of how the landscape works, not because of how it is kept. We will explain what we are doing, why the snake is on the property, and what — if anything — can be done to make the property less attractive next time.
If you see movement, hear rustling, or notice your dog, horse or chooks reacting to something in the paddock, call 1300 599 938 immediately.
What snake is most common in Riverstone? The Eastern Brown Snake, by a clear margin. Riverstone’s mix of acreage properties, horse feed, stable areas, paddocks and rodent activity makes it ideal brown snake country. Red-bellied Black Snakes also occur, mostly along South Creek and on properties with permanent water, but browns are the snake we catch here most often.
Why are there so many snakes on horse properties in Riverstone? The chain runs feed → rodents → snakes. Stored horse feed draws mice and rats. Mice and rats draw Eastern Brown Snakes, which are specialist rodent hunters. Tidy feed management — sealed containers, no spilled grain, sealed feed sheds, active rodent control — is the most effective thing you can do to reduce snake activity on a horse property.
Where on my acreage should I check first if I think a snake is around? The feed shed, the stable area, the hay storage and the area immediately around them. After that, sheds and workshops, dog or chook feed bins, tack rooms, and the base of paddock fences. Brown snakes will follow rodents to whichever spot has the most activity.
How long has Sydney Snake Catcher been working in Riverstone? Our senior catcher Rob Ambrose has been catching snakes around Riverstone for over a decade. The suburb is part of our core service area and we have catchers in the corridor regularly.
How quickly can a snake catcher get to Riverstone? We operate the largest network of snake catchers in NSW and dispatch the catcher closest to you. Riverstone sits within our core service area. Response times vary with traffic and existing jobs, and we prioritise active sightings — particularly browns near houses, stables or feed areas.
Sydney Snake Catcher — 1300 599 938 Licensed, insured, and on call 24/7 across Riverstone and the wider Blacktown LGA.
Nearby Suburbs We Service: Marsden Park, Schofields, Grantham Farm, Vineyard
