
Spike in snake and spider bites across NSW
AUSTRALIA'S reputation for deadly snakes and spiders has again been proven.
In NSW over the past six months, NSW Ambulance paramedics have responded to 424 incidents where people have been bitten, some which have proven fatal.
On the Coffs Coast, a 60-year-old man died last week after he was bitten by a rare yet highly venomous Stephen's banded snake at Kalang.
The man was isolated by floodwaters when he was bitten a fortnight ago.
Police said this hindered the rescue operation and the man's immediate access to anti-venom.
A local reptile handler, meanwhile, was also involved in a car accident at Bonville earlier this year after he was bitten by a Rough Scaled snake.

Over spring and summer there have also been multiple spider bite incidents involving Northern Rivers funnel webs and red backs.
To highlight the danger posed by snakes and spiders, NSW paramedics will on Wednesday launch a public awareness campaign.
The NSW Ambulance Service is compiling a breakdown region-by-region to highlight which species are more prevalent when it comes to bites in particular areas of the state.
Australian Reptile Park & Wildlife Sanctuary Manager John Mostyn said snakes would continue to make their presence felt at least until the end of April.
Weather conditions, with heavy flooding and persistent rain, are thought to have contributed to the rise in reported bites.
Northern NSW Incidents | Snakes | Spiders |
September | 10 | 7 |
October | 9 | 14 |
November | 5 | 10 |
December | 10 | 16 |
January | 16 | 26 |
February | 14 | 18 |
Snake and spider bite incidents on the Coffs Coast (Sept 1 to Feb 28) |
9/9 - Sandy Beach - snake bite |
10/9 - Sawtell - spider bite |
8/10 - Boambee - snake bite |
24/11 - Sandy Beach - snake bite |
15/12 - Woolgoolga - Woman, 18, bitted by a brown snake on the ankle |
23/12 - Corindi Beach - snake bite |
24/12 - Coffs Harbour - spider bite |
2/1 - Nambucca Heads - spider bite |
6/1 - Nambucca Heads - snake bite |
9/1 - Urunga - snake bite |
11/11 - Bellingen - snake bite |
17/2 - Raleigh - woman trod on a snake in her backyard thinking it was a piece of rope |
24/2 - Woolgoolga - snake bite |
MAJOR INCIDENTS: 13/1 - Bonville - A snake catcher crashed his vehicle after he was bitten by a venomous rough scaled snake thinking it was a harmless python. |
3/3 - Kalang - A man cut off by floodwaters was bitten by a rare and venomous Stephen's Banded Snake. Due to flooding and weather conditions it took six hours for emergency services to evacuate him from the property in a swift water rescue. The 60-year-old man died in hospital almost a week later. |