A big black spider bite can't wait
Treat a bite from any big black spider as a medical emergency and call 000 for an ambulance. Lie the person down and keep them still. The Sydney funnel-web's main range runs from the Central Coast south to the Georges River, which takes in the North Shore. Full first aid is on our funnel-web spider page.
What's different on the North Shore
A lot of bush
Ku-ring-gai Council says more than 30 per cent of its area is bushland. It looks after 158 reserves covering 1160 hectares, and Garigal, Lane Cove and Ku-ring-gai Chase national parks border its suburbs.
Not one council
The North Shore is several councils, including North Sydney, Willoughby, Lane Cove and Ku-ring-gai, and each runs its own programs. North Sydney Council's Bushland team, for one, offers advice or a site inspection if you've got a wildlife problem on your property.
Hollows are contested
North Sydney Council says common mynas compete for tree hollows and even evict brushtail possums and sugar gliders. Fewer hollows is part of why possums end up looking at your roof.
Rats and mice near the bush
Ku-ring-gai Council says rats and mice are common in homes and gardens. Its list is simple: seal gaps, secure food and compost, and remove shelter like woodpiles or clutter.
Possum removal on the North Shore: what's allowed
In NSW it's illegal to relocate or kill a possum, or to trap or catch and release one, without a licence. So possum removal here means proofing the roof and, if it's needed, catch and release by someone holding a current licence. The possum goes back out at dusk, no more than 150 metres from where it was caught, near something it can climb straight away.
Block the entry points only when you're sure it has left to forage, usually at night. NSW Government guidance also suggests a nest box secured at least 4 metres above the ground, so it has somewhere else to sleep.
Termites and buying a home here
The Australian Museum says houses near natural bushland may often have termite nests nearby, but they may not contain pest species. So a nest in the reserve isn't a verdict on your house. A proper inspection of the house is.
If you're buying, a building and pest inspection is really two jobs. The building report comes from a builder, surveyor or architect, and the timber pest inspection is a separate report. Ask the inspector what they found and which areas they couldn't reach.
What to ask before you say yes
- Can I see your photo licence card, and is it still current?
- Who's handling the possum, and do they hold a current catch and release licence?
- Where exactly are the entry points, and will you show me?
- What's the full name of the product, and what do I need to do before and after?
- What does your written report or quote cover?
What we'd do about pests on the North Shore
Deal with the roof before the possum. Find the gaps, watch it leave at dusk, and get the proofing done properly. If you'd like someone to do that for you, tell us your postcode and what you've heard up there.
Want someone to look at it?
Tell us what you've seen and your postcode, and a local pest business that handles exactly that calls you to talk it through.
