Reptiles

Eastern Brown Snake

The Eastern Brown Snake is active by day, especially on warm sunny days where it will bask in the sun. Its diet consists mainly of small mammals, birds and other small reptiles. Breeding takes place in spring with a clutch of up to 25 eggs produced in late spring or early summer. Although their life span is unknown, they have been recorded to live as long as 7 years in captivity. Although it is considered the world’s second most venomous land snake, they will always try to avoid a confrontation with humans if possible. 

Painted Dragon

The Painted Dragon is often seen basking on pathways absorbing heat to regulate its body temperature. Adopting a sit and wait hunting technique, it uses its keen vision to detect its prey by movement. It mainly eats insects, but also some vegetation. It can appear in a number of different colour combinations, but males exhibit a bright blue flush during breeding. Their lifespan is generally only one year as at the end of its reproduction cycle nearly all breeding adults will die. 

Shingleback
(Sleepy) Lizard

The Shingleback has a heavily armoured body and a wide, stumpy tail that resembles its head. It is not very agile so its prey is mostly slow-moving, and it also consumes a wide variety of plants. When threatened, a Shingleback will open its mouth wide and stick out its broad blue tongue. As it does not produce its own body heat, it can often be seen basking in the sun. During cold weather it remains inactive, buried deep in its shelter, drawing upon fat reserves which are stored in its tail.

Three-toed Skink

The Three-toed Skink has a long tail as thick as its body and short limbs with only three very short toes.

It burrows usually under logs or rocks in soil or in litter piles. When disturbed they can look like a snake, because they thrash about with their legs out of sight, trying to burrow to safety.