A coastal carpet python embarked on an unexpected journey, sneaking into a car’s nook and traveling across the border between Queensland and New South Wales.

The snake accompanied the vehicle on a nine-hour voyage from Toowoomba to the Central Coast, coinciding with the Christmas holiday season.

The slithering stowaway was discovered when the car’s owner, Anthony, stopped at the Australian Reptile Park seeking assistance to extract the reptile.

The snake was identified as a 1.2-meter-long coastal carpet python.

Dylan Wallis, the head of reptiles at the Australian Reptile Park, expressed his astonishment at the snake’s lengthy journey.

“We’ve encountered many instances of snakes found in cars, but none that have traveled such a great distance from another state,” Wallis remarked.

The snake had been hiding on top of the car’s fuel tank, which kept it safe from the elements.

“Right next to him are the turning wheels and, of course, that creates a lot of ventilation to keep him nice and cool,” Wallis said.

It was safely extracted as experts went underneath the car to push the python out. 

It will be shipped back to Queensland.

“He’s gonna do the entire journey, but this time he’s not gonna be sitting on top of the fuel tank,” Wallis said.