Last summer, in a Schofields car park, one of our team arrived to find the snake call had resolved itself in unusual fashion. A large Eastern Brown had killed and eaten a smaller Red-bellied Black Snake, then disappeared back into the bushes before we could get there. The witness who called it in had assumed, like most people would, that the black snake would be the aggressor — that’s the popular story. The reality is the other way around. Big snakes eat little snakes. A large Eastern Brown will eat a smaller red-belly without hesitation. Black snakes do not police brown snake numbers, and keeping a black snake on your property does not protect you from browns. It is one of the most stubbornly believed myths in Australian snake folklore, and Schofields offered a particularly clear demonstration of why it is wrong.
Schofields sits inside the top twenty most-visited suburbs across our service area. The suburb’s mix of new-estate residential, retained farmland, active construction and the First Ponds Creek corridor produces a steady flow of callouts — and a pretty even split between browns and red-bellies, which makes it one of the more balanced suburbs we work in.
If you have spotted a snake in Schofields, 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 Schofields:
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 belief that Red-bellied Black Snakes keep Eastern Browns away has been doing the rounds in Australia for generations. It is not true. The actual ecology is simpler than the folklore: bigger snakes eat smaller snakes, and that includes other venomous species. A large Eastern Brown will eat a smaller red-belly. A large red-belly will eat smaller snakes too, including small browns. There is no protective hierarchy. There is just size.
Schofields is one of the suburbs where both species occur in roughly equal numbers, so the question comes up more here than in most other Blacktown LGA suburbs. Whatever the popular story says, leaving a red-belly in your yard does not protect you from browns. Both species need to be respected. Both can deliver a serious bite. Both warrant a call.
Schofields sits at the top of the Blacktown LGA growth corridor, between Marsden Park, Tallawong, Riverstone and The Ponds. The First Ponds Creek and South Creek tributaries run through the surrounding landscape. Pockets of retained farmland and paddock still exist around the edges of the suburb, while large active construction sites are progressively replacing former bush and farmland with new estates.
That mix of conditions favours both species. Browns thrive on the open paddock, the construction-site margins, the rodent populations sustained by farmland and the warm slabs and retaining walls of new homes. Red-bellies use the creek lines, the wetter sections of retained vegetation, and the drainage corridors that link the estates to South Creek. Properties on the development edge, those backing onto creek or paddock, and homes in the streets nearest active construction sites see the most activity — for both species.
This is the snake pattern of a growth-corridor suburb mid-transition: high volume, broad species mix, and a callout rate that holds up well across the season.
Eastern Brown Snake. Roughly half our Schofields callouts. Browns follow rodents along fence lines, through construction sites, across paddock margins and into newly landscaped yards. Active building sites and the edges of new estates produce a steady supply, with the displaced wildlife from cleared blocks moving into adjoining properties. Fast, alert, highly venomous. Step back, keep a visual from a safe distance, and call us.
Red-bellied Black Snake. The other roughly half. Red-bellies use the First Ponds Creek and South Creek corridors, the wetter sections of retained reserve, and the drainage easements threading through the new estates. They will move into adjoining backyards — particularly properties with pools, ponds or thick garden beds. 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.
Schofields gives snakes a wide range of hiding options. Retaining walls — particularly common in the newer estates — are a consistent spot for both browns and red-bellies. Garage corners and the gaps under garage rollers. Pool pump housings and pool equipment areas. Garden beds with thick mulch and newly planted shrubs. Under decks, verandahs and outdoor seating. Along fences backing onto creek lines, retained reserve, paddock or active construction. Around stormwater pits and easements. On adjoining vacant or under-construction blocks with stockpiled materials and long grass. Around chicken coops, aviaries and outdoor pet bowls.
For active building sites in Schofields, we are most often called to stockpiled brick and paver piles, dunnage stacks, demountable site offices, and the long grass strips around the perimeter of a build.
Snake powders, sprays and ultrasonic deterrents have no measurable effect — skip them. What helps is everything that addresses the food, water and shelter snakes are looking for. Reducing rodent activity is the single most useful thing on a Schofields property, particularly for browns. Keeping grass short along boundary fences, especially the side facing creek line, paddock or construction, makes a noticeable difference. Tidy sheds, garages and outdoor storage remove the undisturbed corners snakes settle into. Pool pump enclosures deserve attention — warm, dark, undisturbed and right next to water is exactly the combination red-bellies are drawn to. Sealing gaps under sheds, decks, retaining walls and outbuildings closes off the spots they hide in.
A snake inside a Schofields home or on an active building site is an emergency. Snakes can enter through open doors, gaps under garage rollers, plumbing penetrations or cracks beneath external doors. New builds with unsealed garage rollers and partially landscaped yards are particularly vulnerable in their first one or two seasons. We attend snake-inside-the-building jobs across Schofields throughout the warmer months — residential, commercial and active construction — and respond quickly. For building sites, we work alongside WHS protocols and provide documentation for incident records on request.
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. Schofields sits in our top-twenty most-visited suburbs, and we have catchers in the growth corridor on most operational days.
We work calmly, without panic, and without making anyone feel judged about the state of their property. Snakes turn up in Schofields because of the corridor — creek lines, paddock margins, active construction. Not because of 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 make it less likely to happen again.
If you see movement, hear rustling, or notice your pet fixated on one area of the yard, call 1300 599 938 immediately.
Do black snakes eat brown snakes? No. This is one of the most persistent myths about Australian snakes. The reality is that bigger snakes eat smaller snakes regardless of species, and a large Eastern Brown will eat a smaller Red-bellied Black Snake. We saw exactly this in a Schofields car park last summer — a large brown had killed and consumed a smaller red-belly before we arrived on scene. Leaving a black snake in your yard does not protect you from browns.
What snake is most common in Schofields? It is one of the more balanced suburbs we work in — roughly an even split between Eastern Brown Snakes and Red-bellied Black Snakes. Browns dominate the drier paddock and construction margins. Red-bellies dominate the creek corridors and wetter parts of the suburb.
Why are there so many snakes in Schofields? Schofields is in the middle of an active growth corridor at the top of the Blacktown LGA. Construction is displacing snakes from former farmland and bushland into adjoining yards. The First Ponds Creek and South Creek corridors thread through the area. Retained paddock and reserve sustain populations of both species. Schofields sits in our top-twenty most-visited suburbs across our service area for that reason.
Do you attend snake jobs on building sites in Schofields? Yes. Active building sites are some of our most common Schofields callouts. We work alongside site WHS protocols and provide documentation for incident records on request.
How quickly can a snake catcher get to Schofields? We operate the largest network of snake catchers in NSW and dispatch the catcher closest to you. Schofields is a high-priority area in our service network. 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 Schofields and the wider Blacktown LGA.
Nearby Suburbs We Service: Marsden Park, Tallawong, Riverstone, The Ponds
