NSW Government
Environment and Heritage

Reptiles

Most Australian reptiles live on land but some are aquatic animals.

A pale-headed snake (hoplocephalus bitorquatus) sticks out its tongue
A pale-headed snake (hoplocephalus bitorquatus) sticks out its tongue in Pilliga West State Forest.
Credit: Jake Hansen/DCCEEW
A Bellinger River snapping turtle (Myuchelys georgesi)
Bellinger River snapping turtle (Myuchelys georgesi).
Credit: Dr Ricky Spencer
Freshwater turtles

Freshwater turtles are reptiles with hard shells that protect them from predators. They spend most of their life in the water, only coming on land to migrate between water bodies or to nest. 

A Broad-headed snake (Hoplocephalus bungaroides), a threatened species, coiled on a moss-covered rock with its head raised in an alert posture, displaying its distinctive black and yellow banding.
Broad-headed snake (Hoplocephalus bungaroides), threatened species.
Credit: Jonathan Webb
Snakes

Australia has around 140 species of land snake and 32 recorded species of sea snake.