Unless the components of your rock feature are in bedded into the soil and all gaps between the rocks or blocks packed tightly with soil, there will be numerous cracks, crevices and holes for snakes to hide in or to follow their food living there (lizards, frogs or mice). You do not always have to remove the rocks or re-in bed them, as quarry rubble or dolomite can be spread amongst and through the rocks or blocks. Then water and tamp it down hard so the areas between can no longer be used by snakes and to a lesser extent mice. Brown Snakes do not generally dig their own holes, unless the soil is very sandy. They much prefer to utilise existing tunnels made by other animals, or crevices made through action of water or cracking clays etc. "Pockets" can be provided so that you can still plant trailing plants or rockery species without having a bare, stone feature (as long as you are aware of the following points also).

Many of the calls which snake catchers throughout Australia receive involve snakes that are seen in or close to thick vegetation somewhere in the garden. The problem here is more likely dense groundcovers or plants growing close to the ground which provide excellent protection for snakes. Scientific studies (Whitaker and Shine, 1999) have shown that Brown Snakes when hiding in thick cover do not move when approached by a human. That can be to your advantage as the snake is unlikely to respond to your presence, and will move away when the "threat" to it has passed (you). However, young inquisitive children and pets that actually probe innocently into the plants may evoke a different response. But Whitaker and Shine found that less than 3% of Brown Snakes (from 455 encounters) approached ("attacked") the researchers during their study.

The solution to an overgrown garden is not necessarily ripping the lot out. Shrubs can have their lower branches pruned to allow you to readily see beneath them and provide less suitable cover for snakes. But a thick blanket of ivy around an older garden may be difficult to justify removing. A compromise may be to thin the groundcover so that you can at least see if a snake is moving through it. By reducing the level of cover you are also denying protection for roaming snakes.

When we adopt a recycling attitude that includes disposal on site of our kitchen and garden wastes, we are providing two essentials for Brown Snakes in particular: shelter and food for the snake’s prey, as well as protection for the snake from its enemies. In addition, there is the chance that the warmth and humidity of a compost heap may be suitable for a female Brown Snake to lay her eggs (between 12 and 40 depending on the size of the snake). The placing of the compost can create problems too, as there may be little traffic in that part of the garden, which is ideal for a wandering snake. An enclosed, tumbling compost bin is the best answer to this problem. Turning over the compost regularly is another. To prevent rodents and snakes moving up into a bottomless compost bin, place it on a square of 10mm steel mesh (but you will have to renew it periodically as it rusts). The mesh allows movement of air, water and soil organisms but not undesirables.

Interpretation of snake callout data in Adelaide in the mid 1990s indicated that about 11% of snakes seen were inside buildings, including houses, sheds, factories, schools, shops or offices. Generally the altercation with humans did not result in damage to either side, but the situation is obviously potentially dangerous. The simple answer is to stop access by adult snakes under closed exterior doors (including screen doors). This can be done inexpensively by fitting a rubber weather seal to the bottom of the door(s) of all buildings that may be affected. Be aware that a sizeable (up to 1.2m) Brown Snake is able to squeeze under a gap or into a hole not much bigger than your thumb.

If you have exterior wall vents at ground level on your buildings, you can also prevent entry by small snakes (and bees, wasps, mice etc) by fixing a piece of metal flywire over each vent. Keep any planting around the house rather spartan, or at least not adjacent to the walls. Black (Pseudechis spp) and Tiger Snakes (Notechis spp) can climb quite well - and so can Brown Snakes when they have to - especially with the help of thick vegetation over trellises near buildings.