Scaddan Accommodation, Hotels, Tours & Information

Scaddan

In flat, mallee scrub country about 60km due north of Esperance in the deep south of WA, Scaddan is a little town that appears on few maps or postcode directories.

But, it really does exist... just ask the those hardy souls raising wheat, sheep and cattle and growing barley and other crops around the town.

A short drive south (in bush terms) takes you to the picturesque coastal town of Esperance, 725km south-east of Perth, a place of rugged beauty and stunning beaches which lies on a gorgeous bay dotted with the islands of the Recherche Archipelago.

Scaddan has achieved some small degree of fame scientifically in the form of a rare – perhaps even extinct – snake called Bush"s hooded snake. First collected in 1986 and described to science in 1988, only five specimens have been found in a small remnant of bushland near Scaddan.

Recent searches for it have been unsuccessful, probably because of all the bush clearing operations to extend the wheatbelt. There is some concern that the species might have been wiped out as far back as 1995. A nocturnal lizard-eater, the hooded snake grows to a maximum of 50cm, and if you happen to come across a specimen on your travels the scientists will be delighted to hear from you.