We were on a routine job in St Ives Chase, a leafy suburb that backs onto Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. Locals know it’s a hotspot for wildlife, especially snakes, so we always keep an eye out. Even so, nothing prepared us for what we found sitting in the gutter above a family home.
We were up on the roof doing a standard clean when we spotted what looked like a big branch jammed in with the leaves. No big deal, we thought, until we got closer. Turns out it wasn’t a branch at all but a dead snake, about three metres long. Just lying there stretched along the gutter like it owned the place.
Honestly, we all froze for a moment. You don’t expect to see something that size when you’re pulling out handfuls of soggy leaves.
We reckon it probably carked it while chasing rats or birds nesting near the roof. It could’ve overheated in the sun or even gotten stuck and couldn’t make its way back out. With the heat and storms we’ve had lately, it’s not that far-fetched.
Best guess is it was a diamond python. They’re pretty common around the north side, especially in bushy spots like St Ives Chase. They can get massive, and while they’re not venomous, you wouldn’t want one sliding past your head while you’re up a ladder.
The whole thing gave us a bit of a reminder about why gutter cleaning’s is not just about stopping blockages and leaks. When you let leaves and rubbish pile up, it attracts critters. Rats, possums, birds — and in turn, snakes come looking for a feed. Before you know it, you’ve got a wildlife motel running along your roofline.
At the end of the day, we got the gutters cleared, packed the big fella out carefully, and had a good yarn about it. Still can’t get over the size of it. Three metres of snake in a roof gutter — now that’s a first for us.
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