# Herping In Sydney



## SpottedPythons (Jun 28, 2017)

Does anyone know of any reptile "hotspots" in the Sydney region? I often herp in a nice patch of bushland in Galston and at Ku-ring-gai Chase NP, but all I've found is a shed skin from a gecko, a few lacies, a lyrebird, turtles and crabs. So does anyone know any good places to find snakes?


----------



## Robes63 (Jun 28, 2017)

Not sure about snakes but the lane cove national park/pymple area has a lot of eastern beardeds and water dragons. 
I know someone who's seen echidnas there.


----------



## Robes63 (Jun 28, 2017)

There has been a discussion here before about LCNP

https://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/threads/species-found-at-lane-cove-national-park.118697/


----------



## SpottedPythons (Jun 28, 2017)

I have seen beardies near Glenorie and Water dragons near my house. But still no snakes!


----------



## SpottedPythons (Jun 28, 2017)

Echidnas are cool though.


----------



## Yellowtail (Jun 28, 2017)

Best area I've found in the Galston area is along Marra Marra creek between Marra Marra ridge and Glenorie, access from Marra Marra fire trail or The smugglers track or from the Glenorie end the Duckponds track. It's a bit rough but hardly anyone goes there and you will see snakes, water dragons, turtles, even huge carp in the ponds. The only snakes you will find in June are the occasional red bellied black or diamond basking in morning sun outside their winter homes.


----------



## SpottedPythons (Jun 28, 2017)

Yellowtail said:


> Best area I've found in the Galston area is along Marra Marra creek between Marra Marra ridge and Glenorie, access from Marra Marra fire trail or The smugglers track or from the Glenorie end the Duckponds track. It's a bit rough but hardly anyone goes there and you will see snakes, water dragons, turtles, even huge carp in the ponds. The only snakes you will find in June are the occasional red bellied black or diamond basking in morning sun outside their winter homes.


Great, thanks!!!!  I actually live right near Galston and it'd be great to see some herps! Thanks! Could you maybe include a link to google maps of the duckponds/smugglers track area?


----------



## SpottedPythons (Jun 28, 2017)

Yellowtail said:


> It's a bit rough but hardly anyone goes there and you will see snakes, water dragons, turtles, even huge carp in the ponds.


Are you talking about the place in the first or second image? Also, when herping there, do you stick the trails or go off to see reptiles?


----------



## Yellowtail (Jun 28, 2017)

https://www.google.com.au/maps/plac...17d68f9f29260!8m2!3d-33.5041927!4d151.1027445
You can follow the creek up from the smugglers track (Access from Bloodwood Rd) junction but easier from end of Duckponds track, there are really good ponds toward the Glenorie end, you can see them on google satellite view.
Go to the end of Duckponds track, go down to the creek and follow it to the right where it joins Marra Marra creek then follow it west. This is a rugged area with barely there tracks and not a walk in the park.


----------



## SpottedPythons (Jun 28, 2017)

Don't mind about the terrain, I'm pretty used to harsh scrubland walks... how long a walk down the duckponds track does it usually take to see snakes and reptiles? How long does it take to get to the creek?


----------



## Yellowtail (Jun 28, 2017)

Thats a good spot but don't tread on these (in summer)


Some of the ponds



Some of these are nearly a metre long


----------



## Yellowtail (Jun 28, 2017)

Some of these are nearly a metre long


----------



## Yellowtail (Jun 28, 2017)

From the gate at start of Duckponds track to end where you climb down to creek is less than 30 mins but then it gets harder.
I've climbed back up the hill off track from the ponds pictured directly to the Duckponds track but thats not easy.
Their are more ponds heading east down Marra Marra Creek to the Smugglers track but that is harder.
It's an area where no one goes and the part along the creek has not been burnt for a long time.
I've seen diamonds, big eastern browns, red belly blacks, death adders, lots of water dragons and monitors in summer.


----------



## SpottedPythons (Jun 28, 2017)

Cool mate, that's an awesome death adder... reddish


----------



## SpottedPythons (Jun 28, 2017)

So the best time herpin there is summer? Has there ever been a time you haven't seen anything here?


----------



## Yellowtail (Jun 28, 2017)

Always plenty to see in summer but right now you will be lucky to see much unless you are at right time in morning to catch diamonds basking outside their hide holes.
There are other spots in Marra Marra national park but thats close to Galston and some of the others are real hard to get to.


----------



## SpottedPythons (Jun 28, 2017)

I actually live in Galston, so are there spots near there?


----------



## Yellowtail (Jun 28, 2017)

Upper reaches of Calabash Creek and swampy area at end of Kulpas track are a couple, you have to find areas that have not been burnt for a long time.


----------



## Bl69aze (Jun 30, 2017)

Birdwood gully in Springwood is good, I sometimes walk my dog and will see a few lizards that I don't know.. they look squared in the head and in summer will see some snakes basking rocks
OR go to Richmond, I used to tafe there and you'd often see red bellies just chilling on the path! (Not at the tafe but the walk to it)


----------



## herplover81 (Jul 20, 2017)

The Royal National Park at Waterfall was always a good spot for me when i lived in Sydney id just get off the train at Waterfall and walk straight into the bush was heaps of stuff there, different snakes,skinks,dragons,monitors and geckoes


----------

