When Courtenay Brown first moved from Perth to the Sunshine Coast, she started seeing snakes everywhere.
While most people would have packed their bags and run, Brown did the opposite.
“I loved to go out at night and try to find them in the bush just to learn more about the local species,” she tells nine.com.au.
For her whole life, Brown has loved animals and been fascinated by snakes. But it had never really gone anywhere outside of a general interest.
That was until her move to the Sunshine Coast showed her just how much most people feared the slithery creatures.
Courtenay Brown moved to the Sunshine Coast and did everything she could to learn more about the local snakes. (Supplied)
“I’ve always wanted to do something meaningful, and snakes are so feared and misunderstood,” she explains.
“I saw this as an opportunity to help reduce that fear, and to help educate others that snakes are not out to get us.
“So, I went and did some training, got my permit with the Department of Science and Environment, and started my business, ‘That Snake Lady’. I haven’t been able to wipe the smile off my face since.”
Her goal is to help people understood the animals. (Supplied)
For Brown, it’s all about education. Her mission is to help people realise that snakes aren’t there to hurt them, and that they actually play an important role in the ecosystem.
While her most common calls are for carpet pythons – which she describes as a “straightforward catch” – Brown much prefers the more risky situations.
Her favourite snakes to catch are the “highly venomous elapids like the Eastern Brown”, a snake whose venom can kill you within 15 minutes.
While most of her calls are for pythons, Courtenay’s favourite kinds to catch are “venemous elapids”. (Supplied)
“[They] sometimes can be a little faster and more unpredictable when they become defensive,” she explains.
“There’s usually very little room for error, so it’s a good test of skill and definitely gets the adrenaline pumping.”
Brown didn’t just stumble into this career, though; she attended university and went through multiple professions before setting her sights on becoming a snake catcher.
But even though she’s done it all by the books, attending training, getting a permit and starting her own business, it’s not always smooth sailing – and it’s not the snakes that are the issue.
For Brown, no career has ever felt right the way snake catching does. (Supplied)
“People are usually very shocked when I tell them what I do for a job. I think some people judge me based on the way I look and question why I’d want to do this job in the first place, or question my ability to do the job safely and successfully,” she says.
Typically, when someone calls for a snake catcher, they expect a man to show up at their door. So Courtenay says when she arrives, she’s often not taken seriously.
“A lot of people seem to see this as a bloke’s job. Even people with very little knowledge or experience with snakes will give me advice about how to do the job, which can be frustrating,” she says.
She says sometimes it can be hard to be taken seriously as a woman in the industry. (Supplied)
“Putting my work on social media, there is always a lot of criticism. Even if I do everything perfectly, there is usually always criticism about what I do, what I wear, my techniques, how I look, my ability.
“There’s a lot of objectification, sexism and negativity, unfortunately. Comments, innuendo and inappropriate DMs, which seem to be much less apparent on the pages of male catchers.”
But Brown doesn’t let the criticism get in the way of her job, hoping to set an example for her two teenage daughters by doing what she loves.
But despite criticisms, she continues to do what she loves. (Supplied)
“I love the fact that no two call-outs are the same,” she gushes.
“Regardless of how well prepared you are, these are wild animals, and they don’t often stick to your plan. There are lots of variables and usually a bit of adrenaline too, which makes it exciting.”
While not everyone wants to get close to the snakes, almost everyone is intrigued by Brown’s stories, which she says she loves getting to share.
“I’ve removed a carpet python from under a mattress, a red belly from a set of golf clubs, found six common tree snakes mating in someone’s roof space, snakes in engines, snakes under fridges and in wardrobes,” she says.
One of the perks are the wild stories she gets to tell friends and family. (Supplied)
But even though capturing the attention of a dinner table is a great perk, what Brown truly loves about her job is that she gets to help the animals she loves and educate others while she’s at it.
“Snakes are usually just passing through looking for food, water, shelter or a mate, but in doing so they get themselves into some pretty strange places,” she explains.
“With a bit of awareness, common sense and respect for them, snakes generally don’t cause any issues. Doing this job you really get to see that snakes are not bad animals, just misunderstood.”
Produced in partnership with CareerOne.