Possum & Dead Animal Removal
Inner West Sydney
It usually starts at about 3am. A heavy thump on the ceiling, then the slow drag of something cat-sized moving across the plasterboard above the bedroom. That is almost never a rat. Rats scurry. What you are hearing in a Newtown terrace or a Haberfield bungalow is a brushtail possum that has decided your roof cavity is the best real estate in the suburb. And in the Inner West, it usually is.
We handle possum and pest control across the Inner West every week, from the Victorian terraces packed tight along King Street to the Federation homes of Summer Hill and the workers cottages of Marrickville. We focus on getting live possums out of your roof legally and humanely, and finding and removing dead ones before the smell takes over your house. Learn more on our dedicated Inner West possum removal page.
Same-Day Response
Most Inner West callouts within the day
NSW Wildlife Licensed
SafeWork and DCCEEW compliant
Humane Exclusion
One-way exit door, never relocation
Roof Proofing Included
Backed by a 12-month guarantee
Free Consultation
Arrange an Inner West Inspection
Specify your property type, pest issue, and suburb. Our dispatch team will respond within 15 minutes.
How much does pest control cost in the Inner West?
Inner West jobs start from $149 for a single-pest treatment, with general pest packages between $350 and $600. Older terraces in Newtown, Marrickville and Leichhardt share walls and roof voids, so cockroach and rodent work often involves neighbouring properties. Termite inspections to as 3660.2 run $250 to $400, and same-day service is available.
Fully Licensed
NSW Pest Management Licence and Wildlife Licence (DCCEEW) for compliant catch-and-release.
Humane Focus
One-way door exclusion and prevention methods. No poison, no harm, and no illegal relocation.
Rapid Deployment
Local technicians dispatched across the Inner West with fast response windows for emergencies.
12-Month Warranty
Every entry point we seal and proof is fully backed by our replacement and fix guarantee.
Why the Inner West Has the Possum Problem It Does
Two factors intersect to create a heavy possum population in this region. First, the tree canopy. The Inner West is one of the leafiest parts of inner Sydney, with mature plane trees lining the streets and established bushland corridors along the Cooks River, the Hawthorne Canal, and Callan Park. This canopy is exactly what a brushtail possum needs for foraging and shelter. The catch is that decades of urban development have stripped out the old native gum trees with natural hollows that possums typically den in, forcing them to find warm, dark, predator-free cavities. Your ceiling space becomes the perfect substitute.
Second, the housing stock. The Inner West is defined by some of Sydney's oldest homes. Victorian terraces in Newtown, Erskineville, and Annandale sit in continuous rows with shared party walls and connected rooflines. Federation bungalows in Haberfield and Croydon feature ornate timber fascias and tiled rooflines with numerous minor gaps. Post-war fibro and brick cottages around Dulwich Hill and Tempe contain aged eaves and lifted ridge capping. Every one of these features represents an access point. A brushtail possum can squeeze through a gap as narrow as seven centimetres, and on a terrace, it can move from one roof void straight into next door's through the shared cavity.
The Species You Will Encounter
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Common Brushtail Possum
Trichosurus vulpecula. Roughly the size of a cat, weighing between one and four and a half kilograms. This is the primary species responsible for thumping noises in roof voids.
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Common Ringtail Possum
Pseudocheirus peregrinus. Smaller, with a prehensile white-tipped tail. Usually builds a drey (nest) in dense garden foliage, only occasionally entering roofs through eave gaps.
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Protected Marsupials
Both species are protected in New South Wales. Relocation is legally capped at 150 metres from the capture point. Exclusion is the only permanent solution.
What We Do - Humane Possum Exclusion & Proofing
Possums are protected native wildlife in New South Wales under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. You cannot harm them, poison them, or relocate them to distant bushland. If caught, they must be released within 150 metres of capture on the same property after dark. This legal framework is why we focus on permanent exclusion, not simple trapping. Read more about our process on our local Inner West possum control page.
Roof Inspection
We trace the roofline, eaves, valley gutters, and party walls to identify all gaps. Older terraces require checking shared chimney structures.
Species Check
We verify the nesting pest. If there is uncertainty, trail cameras monitor the entry points overnight to confirm the number of active animals.
One-Way Door
We fit a temporary one-way exit door on the primary hole and seal all secondary gaps. The possum exits at dusk to feed but cannot re-enter.
The Wait
The door remains in place for several days. We check the ceiling void to ensure no joey has been left behind before concluding the work.
Final Proofing
We remove the exit door, seal the main entry point permanently, trim overhanging branches, and can install a garden nest box as a new home.
A Note on Deterrent Gadgets
Ultrasonic sound boxes, strobe lights, mothballs, and predator-urine sprays are ineffective long-term solutions. While they may deter a possum for a single night, the animal quickly habituates to the stimulus. Professional physical exclusion is the only method that provides lasting relief.
Locating & Removing Dead Animals in the Inner West
Many of our wildlife calls relate to odour rather than nocturnal noise. When a possum or rodent dies in a wall cavity, ceiling void, or under floorboards, it takes only forty-eight hours for a sweet, heavy decay smell to permeate the residence. Blowflies accumulate on window frames and light fittings, and fluid stains can seep through plasterboard ceilings. On hot afternoons, the odour becomes severe as elevated temperatures accelerate decomposition and push gases into living spaces.
Locating the carcass requires experience. Odours shift along air currents, meaning the strongest smell is rarely directly below the animal. In a terrace house with shared brick cavities, a carcass might lie on the neighbour's side of the party wall while venting into your building. We trace the source by inspecting the roof void, assessing fly activity, and checking thermal variances. We resolve the problem with minimal disruption, lifting individual roof tiles or making small, repairable cuts in plasterboard where necessary.
Once the carcass is out, decontamination is critical. We remove all soiled insulation and treat the space with an enzyme-based neutralizer that digests organic residue rather than masking it. Removing the biological source is essential for safety, as decomposing wildlife releases ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and host bacteria that can trigger asthma or present risks to immunocompromised individuals. Finally, we locate and seal the gap that allowed the animal entry.
Inner West Pricing Structure
Every building is unique, and we price our services based on the scope of work required rather than the postcode.
| Service Type | Price Range | Inclusions & Details |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Roof & Entry Inspection | from $150 | Complete assessment of the roofline, eaves, valleys, and wall joins. The inspection fee is fully credited against any subsequent exclusion work we perform. |
| Humane Possum Exclusion | $350 to $550 | Installation of a temporary exit door, sealing of all secondary entry gaps, joey checks, and final roof proofing. Prices vary based on complexity and height. |
| Dead Animal Removal | from $250 | Carcass retrieval from roof voids or floor spaces, removal of soiled insulation, and full decontamination with enzyme cleaner. |
| Wall Cavity Retrieval & Patching | On-site Quote | Applicable when wall plaster must be opened to reach a trapped carcass. Includes professional biological sanitization and surface closing. |
Warranty, Licensing and Local Credentials
Every possum exclusion and proofing job we complete is backed by our twelve-month proofing warranty. If a possum manages to re-enter your property through a hole or structural point we sealed, we will return and resolve the issue at no additional charge. For all urgent wildlife and carcass scent issues in the Inner West, we respond to most callouts within a two-hour window.
Our technicians hold active NSW Pest Management Technician licences issued under SafeWork NSW and operate strictly under the catch-and-release wildlife guidelines mandated by the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. We carry full public liability cover and follow the codes of practice of the Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association (AEPMA).
Super Pest Controler is a registered local business with eleven years of experience resolving nesting marsupial and roof cavity issues across Sydney. We are not a lead-generation directory or marketing agency. When you call us, you speak directly with the certified technicians who will inspect your roof and execute the work.
Business Compliance Summary
- SafeWork Licence
- AEPMA Member AEPMA Aligned
- Public Liability $20,000,000
- Service Warranty 12 Months
- Emergency Response Within 2 Hours
Local Inner West Service Coverage
We base our dispatch operations out of Marrickville, providing rapid coverage to all neighbouring suburbs. Whether you reside in a Victorian terrace in Newtown, a Federation home in Haberfield, or a cottage in Dulwich Hill, our mobile units are fully equipped to assist with licensing-compliant marsupial exclusions and emergency carcass decontaminations.
Primary Suburbs
- Marrickville & Dulwich Hill
- Newtown & Erskineville
- Enmore, Stanmore & Petersham
- Balmain, Rozelle & Lilyfield
- Annandale, Leichhardt & Glebe
Extended Service Zones
- Haberfield & Summer Hill
- Ashfield & Croydon
- Camperdown & Sydenham
- St Peters & Tempe
- Bordering Sydney CBD & South Sydney
If your property borders the Inner West, our teams coordinate directly with the adjacent Sydney CBD and South Sydney crews to ensure timely scheduling.
Looking for termite checks rather than wildlife services? We also provide full pre-purchase termite inspections across the same service areas.
Staging Depot
145 Addison Road, Marrickville NSW 2204
Suburbs We Service in the Region
We deliver licensed possum exclusion and dead animal decontaminations across the Inner West and nearby Sydney precincts. Select your location:
Densely packed Victorian terraces with connected rooflines where roof pests easily move between party walls.
Historical timber cottages with lifted capping, decorative eaves, and open roof junctions that invite entry.
High-density terrace district bordering the Inner West with the same shared brick cavities and roof spaces.
Established residential zones showing high wildlife activity along riverside corridors and parks.
Commercial buildings, rooftop gardens, and apartments requiring specialized exclusion and odour control.
Possum in your roof? Dead animal odour? Let us solve it.
We manage licensed possum exclusions and biological carcass decontaminations across the full Inner West region. Our work is humane, legally compliant, and backed by a 12-month roof proofing warranty.
- Humane Exclusion Methods Only
- Enzyme Decontamination of Voids
- NSW SafeWork Licensed Specialists