HomeReptiles of Sydney HarbourSnakes

Front-fanged Venomous Snakes, Family Elapidae

There are eleven species of venomous snakes in the Sydney region. Nearly all of these would have once occurred around the harbour. Included in this are several large species, the Death Adder, Acanthophis antarcticus, Eastern Brown Snake, Pseudonaja textilis, Tiger Snake, Notechis scutatus, and Red-bellied Black Snake, Pseudechis porphyriacus. These are some of Australia's most venomous species. The Broad-headed Snake, Hoplocephalus bungaroides, is a smaller, but still highly venomous species, which once occurred on the southern foreshores of the harbour. This species occurs mainly in the Sydney sandstone and is listed as a threatened species. The larger venomous snakes have nearly all disappeared from the intensively developed harbour suburbs, but could still persist in bushland reserves along the upper Middle Harbour tributaries. A number of smaller venomous snakes still occur in bushland and leafy garden suburbs, particularly along the northern shore. These include the Golden-crowned Snake, Cacophis squamulosus, and Marsh Snake, Hemiaspis signata.

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	Broad-headed Snake		Red-bellied Black Snake
	Eastern Brown Snake		Golden-crowned Snake

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