Planet Perth: Rocky Vane
Why are there over 400 tiger snakes on Carnac Island?
One of the most popular theories is a man by the name of Rocky Vane – a snake charmer who started performing across Fremantle in 1926.
Rocky Vane was a man with a checkered past, known for letting his reptiles bite him or other people to promote his snake bite remedy as well as showcasing his scaly friends in sideshow alley performances.
Legend has it, he released many of these snakes onto the island after an ultimatum from the WA government.
In episode two, Jeff Bullen sits down with Dr Mitch Ladyman, a Perth based environmental consultant and the co-author of a study into the origin of Tiger Snakes on Carnac Island.
Jeff also pays a visit to Perth Reptile Company, to get up close and personal with the snakes Rocky Vane would have been dealing with.
Planet Perth is an RTRFM podcast series about the weird, wacky and unexplained history of our eccentric city.
Join Jeff Bullen each fortnight for a deep dive into the events, personalities and bygone icons that have shaped one of the most isolated cities in the world.
