Snake Man of La Perouse facts for kids
Snake Man performance, January 2007
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| Formation | Early 1900s |
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| Type | Theatre group |
| Purpose | Reptile show |
| Location |
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Notable members
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"Professor" Fred Fox George Cann Sr. George Cann Jr. John Cann |
| Website | laperouse.info |
The Snake Man is a popular reptile show in La Perouse, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. People often called it 'the snake pit'. For many years, visiting the Snake Man on a Sunday afternoon was a fun tradition for families in Sydney.
Contents
History of the Snake Man Show
This exciting show has been happening in La Perouse since the early 1900s. It has always been held in the same spot.
The First Snake Men
The very first Snake Man was "Professor" Frederick Fox. People also knew him as the "Snake King". He claimed he was immune to snake venom. This meant he thought snake bites could not hurt him. However, like other showmen, he had a special medicine called an antidote to help with bites.
In 1913, Professor Fox even traveled to India to sell his antidote.
Another local person, Herbert See, took over the La Perouse show for a while. Sadly, he was bitten by an Eastern brown snake and died in the hospital.
In 1914, while showing his antidote in Calcutta, Professor Fox was bitten by a dangerous snake called a krait. He tried to treat himself, but he missed one bite. He died a few hours later.
The Cann Family Takes Over
George Cann started running the show in 1919. After that, the Cann family kept the tradition going for many years. Dealing with snakes meant that snake bites were always a risk for them.
John Cann was a later Snake Man from the Cann family. He received an OAM award in 1992. This award was for his work helping the community, protecting animals, and caring for the environment. The area around the snake pit is now called Cann Park, named after his family.
John Cann announced in 2010 that he would soon retire. His very last show was on April 18, 2010. A TV show called The 7.30 Report even did a story about him on April 13, 2010.
The Show Today
Since John Cann retired in 2010, the Hawkesbury Herpetological Society has been putting on the shows. They perform every weekend. John Cann is still a part of this society and is their patron.
In November 2012, it was announced that the La Perouse Museum would have a special display. This display would honor the Cann family and their long history with the snake show.
In 2014, the snake pit area was unfortunately damaged by vandals.
What to Expect at the Show
The Snake Man show takes place in a grassy area. It is about 13 meters long and 7 meters wide. A fence made of corrugated steel, about one meter high, surrounds this area.
The Snake Man stands inside this 'pit'. He takes reptiles out of canvas bags one by one to show them to the audience. People stand along the fence to watch. He might hold a snake by its tail while he talks about it. Sometimes, he walks around the edge of the pit with the reptile very close to the onlookers.
Often, a harmless reptile, like an Australian water dragon, is allowed to walk freely in the pit during the show.
Each show lasts about half an hour. At the end, a hat is passed around for small donations. The show usually happens at 1:30 PM on Sundays.
Gallery
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The Snake Man of La Perouse -
The Snake Pit, La Perouse, on a Sunday afternoon -
The Snake Man of La Perouse in action -
The audience watches the show while a frill-necked lizard roams the enclosure -
The snake man holds back a snake with his foot -
The Snake Man holds a snake aloft by the tail -
A snake reenters its bag after being shown to the audience
