In short:
Wyndham City Council has received and noted a petition signed by more than 200 residents calling for the return of a seasonal snake removal service. The petition shows the community remains split months after Council voted to end free snake catching at private homes, with the issue resurfacing as summer approaches.
Snake Service Split Lingers
Wyndham City Council has received and noted a petition calling for the return of a seasonal snake removal service, with residents in newer housing estates raising concerns that rapid development is increasing the risk of snake encounters.
The petition, signed by more than 200 residents, argues that ongoing construction, land clearing and expanding estates are disrupting snake habitats and pushing wildlife into backyards, particularly in growth areas close to creeks, wetlands and grasslands.
Petitioners are calling for a summer snake response service, a dedicated hotline during warmer months and improved community education around snake safety.
At the last council meeting of the year, councillors followed a standard governance process, acknowledging the petition and classifying it as an operational matter.
Under Council rules, the Chief Executive Officer will now provide a written response to the lead petitioner.
The petition comes months after councillors voted to end free snake catching at private homes from 31 August 2025, while retaining the service on Council-owned land. That decision split the chamber and exposed sharply different views on both safety and value for money.
Residents supporting the service say newer estates are increasingly affected as development reshapes natural environments, forcing snakes into residential areas.
They argue the removal service was a preventative measure that reduced risk to families and ensured snakes were relocated safely rather than killed.
Councillors who voted to cut the service said the program was being misused, pointing to data showing most call-outs did not involve snakes.
Some argued contractors were receiving repeat call-outs to the same properties, inflating costs and undermining claims the service was an efficient safety measure.
The competing views have left the issue unresolved. For residents in growth areas, the concern remains immediate as summer approaches and snake activity increases.
For councillors backing the cut, the focus remains on reducing expenditure and addressing what they described as rorting of the service.
The petition’s return to the agenda suggests the divide has not closed, with development pressures and wildlife encounters continuing to collide in Wyndham’s newest suburbs.
