Step 1
Confirm the animal
Inspect signs, roof access and the building perimeter to distinguish possums from rodents or birds.
Lower North Shore · NSW 2065
Most St Leonards reports begin in a strata building, where sound travels in misleading ways. A thump above one apartment could come from common roof space, a plant area or an external ledge several metres away. Building management needs to be involved early.
Ask about same-day availability; appointment times depend on capacity and safe access.
On the ground in St Leonards
Ask whether other residents hear the same noise and check the top-floor corridor, balconies and landscaped podium areas. A possum outside the building does not require removal. The issue begins when it enters a roof or another enclosed part of the premises.
Residents rarely control the roof hatch, plant room or façade. Arrange a strata representative with keys and authority to approve inspection. Rope access or specialist building access sits outside a routine roof visit and may need separate planning.
Provide the building manager's details, affected floors and the times of the noise. Record hissing, heavy landings or repeated movement along the same edge. Avoid describing every roof sound as a possum until the signs are checked.
What happens next
Step 1
Inspect signs, roof access and the building perimeter to distinguish possums from rodents or birds.
Step 2
Do not install exclusion until the roof has been checked for dependent animals and other occupants.
Step 3
Use non-harmful exclusion where suitable. Any capture and release must be completed under a current NSW licence.
Step 4
After the roof is confirmed empty, close the identified access points so another possum cannot move in.
Step 5
A correctly positioned nest box can provide alternative shelter while allowing the possum to remain in its territory.
A healthy possum outdoors is part of the local environment. Roof entry is the property problem. Capture and release requires a current NSW licence. Call WIRES or Sydney Wildlife for an animal that looks sick, injured or orphaned.
Yes. Possums are protected under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. Catching and releasing a possum requires a current licence and licence conditions apply.
Same-day inspection may be available depending on technician capacity and safe roof access. Phone to check the next appointment rather than relying on an unconfirmed response-time promise.
A possum or dependent young may still be inside. Sealing too early can trap an animal in the roof. The void must be checked and confirmed empty before permanent proofing.
Current NSW guidance says licensed handlers must release a possum after sunset, on the property where it was captured and within 150 metres of the capture point, against something it can immediately climb.
A possum passing through an open balcony is not the same as one trapped inside a building. Remove food attractants and keep access to the unit closed. Contact a wildlife rescue group if the animal looks sick, injured or stranded.
Call to describe the problem and confirm service-area and same-day availability.