Herping In Sydney

[SpottedPythons]

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]

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]

There has been a discussion here before about LCNP

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

 

[SpottedPythons]

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

 

[SpottedPythons]

Echidnas are cool though.

 

[Yellowtail]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Some of these are nearly a metre long

 

[Yellowtail]

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]

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

 

[SpottedPythons]

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

 

[Yellowtail]

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]

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

 

[Yellowtail]

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.

 

[Fall guys]

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]

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