Marsh Snake
The Marsh Snake (Hemiaspis signata) is a small, mildly venomous native snake that specialises in wet habitats and frog prey across the Sydney region. They are not considered dangerous to humans, and their distinctive paired pale head stripes make identification possible with a good photograph. If you have a pond, a creek or a damp garden corner with active frogs, you may well have Marsh Snakes — and that is a sign of a healthy local ecosystem, not a problem requiring intervention. If in doubt about identification, photograph from a safe distance and call a licensed reptile catcher.
Yellow-faced Whip Snake
The Yellow-faced Whip Snake (Demansia psammophis) is one of the most commonly misidentified snakes in the Sydney region — fast, slender and often mistaken for an Eastern Brown Snake. They are mildly venomous but not dangerous to humans, and they play a useful ecological role by controlling skink populations. The distinctive comma-shaped pale eye markings, combined with the slim build and grey-blue colouring, make identification possible once you know what to look for. If in doubt, photograph from a safe distance and call a licensed reptile catcher — getting the identification right is more important than guessing.
Green Tree Snake
The Green Tree Snake (Dendrelaphis punctulatus) is one of the most welcome native snakes a Sydney homeowner can find on their property — slim, fast, brightly coloured, completely harmless and genuinely beautiful. They are diurnal, easy to identify with their bright green back and yellow belly, and they thrive in mature gardens with good vegetation, frogs and structural complexity. Their presence is a sign that your property is supporting a functioning native ecosystem, and the right response to finding one is to enjoy the sight and let the snake go about its business.
Brown Tree Snake
The Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) is one of Sydney's most distinctive snakes — a slender, nocturnal, oversized-eyed climber that thrives in suburban Sydney as easily as in the bush. They are mildly venomous but not dangerous to humans, with bites producing only localised swelling and discomfort. They are, however, accomplished raiders of aviaries, chicken coops and roof spaces, and removal from enclosed structures should always be handled by a licensed reptile catcher. Their presence in a garden is a sign that the local ecosystem is intact enough to support a healthy population of birds, lizards and small mammals.