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Poisonous creatures, Australia
Jaques Protis
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While Australia has many dangerous and poisonous animals, insects and plants, this need not spoil your vacation. With very few exceptions, you are unlikely to encounter these in an urban environment. Be aware that they exist and you'll be okay. The primary rule is 'if you don't recognise it, don't touch it.' The vast majority of deaths from bites and stings in Australia are due to allergic reactions to bees and wasps: there have been no fatal spider bites since the 1950s, and fatal snake bites occur only a couple of times a year.
Anti-venom is available for most spider and snake bites. If bitten you should immobilise the wound and seek immediate medical help. If you are in an isolated area send someone else for help. The venom of some snakes (the taipan in particular) can take effect within half an hour, but if the wound is immediately immobilised and you rest it is possible to delay the onset of poisoning by some hours. If possible you should attempt to identify the creature that bit you (in the case of spiders it might be possible to trap it in a jar and take it to the hospital) so that the anti-venom can be administered swiftly.
If travelling in rural Australia it would be a good idea to carry basic first aid equipment including compression bandages and to learn what to do after a snake or spider bite.
General Tips about Australia
» Required travel documents for Australia» Electric power
» Area code to Australia
» Weather
» How to see the best sights of Sydney on the cheap
» Inexpensive touring
» National holidays:
» Time zones
» Telecommunications
» Health
» Climate and clothing
» Poisonous creatures
» Australian Cuisine
» Time Zones in Australia
» Tipping
» Taxis in Australia
» Disabled Visitors
» Clothing
» travelling on remote outback roads/tracks
» Be careful when driving on country roads at night in cold weather
» There are other poisonous creatures on the reef
» Protect against sunburn at all times
» The Yorke Peninsula
» Murray Bridge
» Coorong National Park
» The Murray River - South Australia
» The Flinders Range
» Whyalla to Port Lincoln
» Whyalla
» Port Lincoln to Ceduna
» Ceduna
» The Eyre Peninsula
» Monkey Mia, Australia
» Hobart, Australia
» Launceston, Australia
» Alice Springs, Australia
» Cairns, Australia
» Brisbane, Australia
» Bourke, Australia
» Cessnock, Australia
» Broken Hill, Australia
» Bathurst, Australia
» City of Armidale, Australia
» Tasmania - Port Arthur
» Sydney Festivals
» The Sydney Harbour Bridge
» Sydney Harbour
» Sydney Landmarks
» Sydney - getting around
» Melbourne
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» Hobart
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» Wollongong
» What to see in Brisbane
» Queensland
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» Australian currency
» Time Zones
» Visit Australia
» Melbourne
» Canberra
» The Sydney Harbour Bridge
» The Sydney Opera House
» Sydney
» New South Wales
» The island of Tasmania
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More travel tips about Australia
Was always a bit paranoid while visiting as it was so different
I encountered a tiger snake on the Great Ocean road in my car.
I pulled close to see it and it struck the car tire a few times. Near the ocean the snakes seem to like in February anyways.
In the Brisbane coastal area
I stepped in low surf on a ray, as they lie down in concave shallow water and camoflauge with the sand. It was small and shot out from me and swam away. I was worried it was startled and possibly injured and yet it did have a tail.
Just always be heads up and you'll see exciting things and still be safe. Box jellies are becoming a nuisence due to turtles becoming endangered and they are predators of the jellyfish. Stay in the net enclosures.
polardreamer, 2007-03-01 05:19:27