Australia has some very venomous animals, but most encounters are mild. According to Healthdirect, some can cause serious illness or death.
Call 000 for a bite or sting from: a snake, a funnel-web spider or another large black spider, a box jellyfish, a blue-ringed octopus, a stonefish, a cone shell or a sea snake. Also call if there is difficulty breathing or the person faints.
For questions about poisons, the national centre is on 13 11 26. For health questions, Healthdirect is open 24 hours on 1800 022 222.
Snakes
Between 1 and 4 people die each year from snake bites in Australia. Every bite is treated as potentially life-threatening, even if the person seems fine.
First aid, according to Healthdirect:
- Call 000 and move the person away from the snake.
- Keep them still and calm.
- Put a wide elastic bandage over the bite. With another, wrap the whole limb firmly, from the fingers or toes towards the body.
- Immobilise the limb with a splint.
- Note the time of the bite and the time of the bandaging.
- If they do not respond or are not breathing normally, start resuscitation (CPR).
What not to do: wash the area, because the venom left on the skin helps identify the snake; cut the wound; suck out the venom; apply a tourniquet; try to catch or kill the snake, as many species are protected.
To avoid them: wear boots and thick trousers in bush areas, use a torch at night and watch where you step or put your hands. If you see one, move to a safe distance and let it leave. They can be near water, in long grass, gardens and sheds.
Spiders
According to Healthdirect:
| Spider | What the source says | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Funnel-web and other large black spiders | Very dangerous bite, can cause death | 000, bandage as for a snake bite and immobilise |
| Mouse spider | Bite is uncommon; symptoms similar to a funnel-web | Same bandaging as for a funnel-web. If it is large and black, 000 |
| Redback | Very painful, not fatal | Wash and apply a cold pack for 15 minutes. See a doctor if it gets worse; go to emergency if the pain is severe |
| White tail | Not considered dangerous | Wash, apply a cold pack and see a doctor if it gets worse |
Check your shoes before putting them on and wear gloves in the garden. Bandaging is only for funnel-web and mouse spiders.
Ticks, bees and wasps
- Ticks. Do not pull them off or use tweezers, because they may inject more saliva. Healthdirect says to freeze them with an ether-based spray, sold in pharmacies. If they do not come off, get urgent medical help.
- Bees. Scrape the sting out with a fingernail or a card, without squeezing it. For a severe allergic reaction (noisy breathing, swollen tongue or throat, dizziness), use adrenaline if available and call 000.
Crocodiles
Where. In Queensland, the habitat runs from near Gladstone to the Torres Strait, Cape York and the Gulf of Carpentaria. There, saltwater crocodiles can be in any river, in the sea, on beaches and on reefs. No sign does not mean no crocodiles. This includes the Cairns area.
What the Queensland Government says:
- Do not enter the water, even if it is shallow and only for a short time.
- Stay at least 5 metres from the water's edge.
- Take extra care at night, at dusk and at dawn. The risk exists all year.
- Take food scraps, fish waste and bait home with you or put them in a bin.
- Keep away from slide marks on the bank.
Reporting. In Queensland, sightings are reported on 1300 130 372, option 1, or through the QWildlife app. In an emergency, 000. After a sighting, lifeguards close the beach for at least four hours.
Outside Queensland. This information is from Queensland. We could not check the official guide for the Northern Territory or confirm the one for Western Australia. Check local information before swimming in Darwin or other parts of the north.
Cassowaries and dingoes
- Cassowaries. They live in north-east Queensland: in the wet tropics, from Cooktown to Paluma, and on Cape York. A kick can break bones. Do not approach, do not get between a male and his chicks, do not feed them and do not stop your car to look at them.
- Dingoes. On K'gari (Fraser Island), Queensland publishes a visitor guide. We could not check the details: read it before you go.
Bats
Do not touch them. They can carry a lyssavirus similar to rabies. It is very rare and cannot be treated once symptoms appear. If one bites or scratches you:
- Wash the wound for at least 15 minutes with soap and water.
- Apply an antiseptic, such as povidone-iodine.
- Get medical care straight away, because the vaccine must be given as soon as possible.
Marine animals
According to Healthdirect:
| Animal | First aid |
|---|---|
| Blue-ringed octopus, cone shell, sea snake | 000. Pressure bandage if on a limb. Keep still and calm; CPR if needed |
| Stonefish | 000. Do not remove the spine unless told to. Hot water, not scalding, for up to 30 minutes |
| Stingray | Wash. Hot water at 45 °C, for up to 90 minutes. Hospital if deep or very painful |
The blue-ringed octopus lives in rock pools and shallow reefs and its bite is often painless: in rock pools, look but do not touch.
Jellyfish and sharks are in the sea safety guide. How to call 000 in your language is in the emergency guide.
What we could not confirm
- The official crocodile guides for the Northern Territory and Western Australia, and the dingo guide for K'gari.
- Where funnel-webs live, and whether a small mouse spider requires a call to 000. The page we checked does not say.
This is general information, not medical advice.
Sources
All viewed on 5 November 2026.
- Healthdirect (official): Bites and stings, Snake bites, snake bite first aid, Spider bites, Tick bites, Bee and wasp stings, Bat bites, Sea creatures.
- Queensland Government (official): Where crocodiles are found, Top tips, Report a crocodile, Cassowaries, Dingoes.
- Crocodiles, Surf Life Saving Queensland (lifesaving body).
- Marine Creatures, Surf Life Saving NSW (lifesaving body).