Snake Catcher Forestville

Service Locations

1 June

If there's a snake at your home, garage, shed, or property in Forestville, CALL NOW on 0418 633 474 .

Stay calm and keep your distance. Keep your eyes on the snake from a safe spot. The most useful thing you can do before we arrive is maintain visual contact. A snake that's been watched is far easier to find. You don't need to take a photo or identify the species. Just watch where it goes, and 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.

About Forestville

Forestville is one of the most reptile active suburbs on the Northern Beaches. The reason is in the geography. The suburb is hemmed in by bushland on three sides. Bantry Bay Reserve to the west, the Forestville Reserve corridor through the middle, and Garigal National Park along the southern boundary. There is barely a street in Forestville that isn't within walking distance of bush.

The blocks themselves tell the same story. Forestville sits on sandstone ridges and gully systems rather than flat ground, and most properties are built into uneven terrain. Mature canopy overhead, deep planted garden beds, sandstone retaining walls holding the slope. For snakes moving between the surrounding reserves, the suburb is less of a barrier and more of a continuation of the bushland.

That's why the call outs are consistent here year after year, and why the species mix is broader than the Northern Beaches average.

**Diamond Pythons, like this one, are among the most common species we find in Forestville**

What we see in Forestville

Diamond pythons are the species we see most often. The bushland connections to Garigal and Bantry Bay, the mature roof cavities of the older housing stock, and the cool deep gardens sustain a substantial resident python population. Roof cavities, pergolas, and sheltered garden corners are the standard callouts. Non-venomous, no threat to people, but worth removing properly when they appear in living areas.

Red-bellied black snakes work the damp gullies, drainage lines, and properties with pools, ponds or thick shaded garden beds. Consistent through summer, particularly following rain.

Golden-crowned snakes turn up in the sandstone country and shaded leaf-litter gardens, particularly after summer rain. Venomous but their bite is medically minor.

Eastern brown snakes are uncommon in Forestville — the bushland character doesn't suit them as well as the open country further west. They appear occasionally on the drier ridge blocks.

Lace monitors appear from the bushland in summer, particularly on properties backing onto Garigal or Bantry Bay Reserve. Not snakes, but a regular callout.

Blue-tongued lizards and Eastern water dragons are part of Forestville's everyday backyard wildlife. Many of the snake calls we attend turn out to be one of these — never an issue, always happy to attend and confirm.

Where snakes go on Forestville properties

The hiding spots reflect the bushland character: roof cavities and eaves for pythons, under decking and pergolas, behind hot water systems, around pool pumps and filtration boxes, in thick damp garden beds, along sandstone retaining walls, under garden edging, behind air-conditioning units, beneath outdoor furniture, and through the gaps between the house and the back bushland boundary. We work through them methodically once we arrive.

After we leave

Every Urban Reptile Removal job ends with a brief walk-through of the property. We tell you why the snake was likely there, what's drawing it in, and what you can change to reduce future activity — short grass, no clutter along the fence line, stored items lifted off the ground, gaps sealed where rodents travel, and no pet food bowls left outside overnight. No snake repellent sprays, no gimmicks. Just the things that actually work.

About Chris Williams

Chris Williams has spent more than 35 years working with reptiles and amphibians throughout Australia and is widely recognised as one of the country's leading herpetologists. Since 2014, he has served as President of the Australian Herpetological Society, helping to promote reptile education, research and conservation nationwide.

His professional background includes roles with the Australian Reptile Park and Taronga Zoo, as well as extensive field experience working with reptiles across New South Wales. Chris is also the founder of Snake Ranch, which grew to become Australia's largest reptile breeding facility.

In addition to his field and zoo work, Chris has authored seven books on Australian reptiles, amphibians and wildlife. He is regularly interviewed regarding reptile interactions. Through Urban Reptile Removal, he continues to train and mentor snake catchers throughout New South Wales, ensuring the highest standards of safety, professionalism and reptile expertise are maintained across the network.