Australia is home to some of the most venomous creatures on Earth, yet very few people die from them each year. The things most likely to kill someone there are far more ordinary, from horses and bee stings to hot days and the surf. The gap between venom and real danger comes down to how often people actually meet a creature, and to how good modern first aid and treatment have become.
What Actually Kills People in Australia Each Year
Australia sees around 32 animal-related deaths a year.1First Aid Pro. What Are the Things in Australia That Can Kill You? Over 10 years, 254 deaths were recorded, and horses, cows and dogs caused 137 of them.2Australian Geographic. Here are the animals REALLY most likely to kill you in Australia Horses, ponies and donkeys were the deadliest, causing 77 deaths, mostly from falls.3Australian Geographic. Here are the animals REALLY most likely to kill you in Australia Cows caused 33 deaths, 16 of them through car crashes.4Australian Geographic. Here are the animals REALLY most likely to kill you in Australia Dogs caused 27 deaths, mostly attacks on children under four and elderly people.5Australian Geographic. Here are the animals REALLY most likely to kill you in Australia The famous dangers rank lower. Snakes came seventh with 14 deaths and crocodiles eighth with 9.6Australian Geographic. Here are the animals REALLY most likely to kill you in Australia Emus caused 5 deaths, all from car crashes.7Australian Geographic. Here are the animals REALLY most likely to kill you in Australia People spend far more time around horses, cattle and dogs than around snakes, and venomous animals mostly avoid people.
A few habits cover most of the risk. Wear a properly fitted helmet when riding. Slow down on rural roads at dawn and dusk, when animals cross. Never leave young children alone with dogs, even familiar ones.
How Dangerous Australia’s Snakes Really Are
Australia usually sees 1 to 2 snakebite deaths a year.8First Aid Pro. What Are the Things in Australia That Can Kill You? Over 11 years, 23 people died from snakebite, 17 of them from brown snakes and 4 from tiger snakes.9PubMed. The Australian Snakebite Project, 2005-2015 (ASP-20) Brown snakes live throughout mainland Australia and cause most snakebite deaths.10University of Melbourne. Brown snakes They were behind 41% of bites where venom got into the body, ahead of tiger snakes at 17% and red-bellied black snakes at 16%.11PubMed. The Australian Snakebite Project, 2005-2015 (ASP-20)
The most venomous snake is not the deadliest. The inland taipan has the world’s most potent snake venom but has never killed a human, because it is shy and lives far from major cities.12First Aid Pro. What Are the Things in Australia That Can Kill You?
Brown snake venom commonly stops blood from clotting, can affect nerves, and in some cases leads to kidney failure.13University of Melbourne. Brown snakes Of the 23 deaths, 10 followed sudden collapse with the heart stopping before reaching hospital, and 6 followed bleeding in the brain.14PubMed. The Australian Snakebite Project, 2005-2015 (ASP-20) Some people go down within minutes of a bite, before help can arrive, which is why calling 000 straight away matters even if you feel fine, and why CPR from bystanders can keep someone alive until paramedics get there.
Avoiding bites is mostly common sense. Wear boots and long trousers in long grass and bush, and watch where you put your hands and feet near logs and rocks. Never try to catch or kill a snake, since many bites happen that way. Snakes are most active in the warmer months.
What to Do After a Snake or Spider Bite
People who collapse after snake envenoming (meaning venom actually got into the body) died in 16% of cases, compared with under 1% of envenomed people who did not collapse.15PubMed Central. Early cardiovascular collapse after envenoming by snakes in Australia, 2005–2020: an observational study (ASP‐31) Brown snakes caused 66% of these collapses.16PubMed Central. Early cardiovascular collapse after envenoming by snakes in Australia, 2005–2020: an observational study (ASP‐31) Australia’s standard first aid is pressure-immobilisation, a firm bandage plus keeping the bitten limb still.17PubMed. Effectiveness of pressure-immobilization first aid for snakebite requires further study At hospital, doctors give antivenom, a medicine that neutralises venom, when tests show venom got into the body.
Start by calling 000 and keeping the person lying still. Wrap a broad elastic bandage firmly from the fingers or toes up the whole limb, then splint the limb and don’t let the person walk. Do not wash, cut or suck the bite, and do not use a tourniquet.
Use the bandage-and-keep-still method for all snakebites and for funnel-web spider bites. Redback bites are different: use an ice pack instead of a bandage. Bring a description of the creature if you can, but never chase it.
Funnel-Webs, Redbacks and Australia’s Spiders
The male Sydney funnel-web is one of Australia’s most dangerous spiders and is thought to have caused all 13 recorded spider deaths.18University of Melbourne. Funnel web spider Male venom contains a toxin that strongly affects the nerves of humans and monkeys but not most other mammals.19The Australian Museum. Australian Funnel-web Spiders Female venom lacks it, which probably explains why female bites have never killed anyone.20The Australian Museum. Australian Funnel-web Spiders No one has died since funnel-web antivenom came into use in 1981, and it works against other dangerous funnel-web species too.21The Australian Museum. Australian Funnel-web Spiders
Funnel-web bites tend to happen in warm months, when males wander looking for mates and can end up in homes or pools. Shake out shoes and gloves left outside. Bites can turn serious quickly, so apply the bandage and call 000.
Redbacks cause painful bites, often from outdoor furniture or sheds. The pain can spread and last for hours, so seek medical advice if it worsens. Bites are rarely life-threatening for adults.
Bees, Wasps and Severe Allergic Reactions
Over 13 years, 64 people in Australia died from venomous bites or stings.22Internal Medicine Journal. Australian injury trends from venomous bites and stings over 13 years Of those deaths, 34 came from anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction to an insect sting.23Internal Medicine Journal. Australian injury trends from venomous bites and stings over 13 years Bee or wasp stings caused 27 deaths, the same number as snakebites.24Internal Medicine Journal. Australian injury trends from venomous bites and stings over 13 years
The signs of a severe allergic reaction include swelling of the face or throat, trouble breathing and dizziness. If an adrenaline autoinjector is available, use it straight away, then call 000. People with known allergies should always carry theirs. A previous mild reaction does not guarantee the next one will be mild.
Sharks and Crocodiles
From 2001 to 2017 Australia had 27 fatal shark bites, about 1 to 2 a year.25First Aid Pro. What Are the Things in Australia That Can Kill You? White sharks bite people most often, with 361 recorded bites.26PubMed Central. The Australian Shark-Incident Database for quantifying temporal and spatial patterns of shark-human conflict Tiger sharks are more likely to kill when they bite, with 38% of their bites fatal compared with 25% for white sharks.27PubMed Central. The Australian Shark-Incident Database for quantifying temporal and spatial patterns of shark-human conflict To lower the risk, swim at patrolled beaches, avoid swimming at dawn, dusk or in murky water, and stay out of the water near river mouths after heavy rain.
Saltwater crocodiles kill people in northern Australia, with 11 deaths in the Northern Territory over a decade.28PubMed. Pathological Features of Fatal Crocodile Attacks in Northern Australia, 2005-2014 Most fatal attacks happened while people were swimming or fishing in fresh water.29PubMed. Pathological Features of Fatal Crocodile Attacks in Northern Australia, 2005-2014 Survival drops fastest for victims in the water, and the bigger the crocodile compared with the person, the lower the chance.30PubMed Central. Dead or Alive? Factors Affecting the Survival of Victims during Attacks by Saltwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) in Australia Since 2006, six of nine fatal attacks involved children.31PubMed Central. Dead or Alive? Factors Affecting the Survival of Victims during Attacks by Saltwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) in Australia
In crocodile country, obey warning signs and never swim in northern rivers, creeks or estuaries. Stand well back from the water’s edge when fishing. Children need close supervision near any northern waterway.
Jellyfish, Blue-Ringed Octopus and Other Sea Dangers
A sting from about 2 metres of box jellyfish tentacle can be lethal.32PubMed Central. Cubozoan Venom-Induced Cardiovascular Collapse Is Caused by Hyperkalemia and Prevented by Zinc Gluconate in Mice Its venom can stop the heart within minutes.
Irukandji syndrome comes from tiny jellyfish stings across northern Australia, causing severe pain, a racing heart and high blood pressure.33PubMed. Severe cardiac failure associated with presumed jellyfish sting. Irukandji syndrome? In serious cases the heart weakens and fluid fills the lungs, and some people need breathing support.34PubMed. Severe cardiac failure associated with presumed jellyfish sting. Irukandji syndrome?
Blue-ringed octopus, stonefish, cone shells and paralysis ticks are also venomous in tropical Australia.35PubMed Central. Clinical toxicology: a tropical Australian perspective The blue-ringed octopus carries a toxin that causes paralysis.36PubMed Central. Toxicity and Toxin Composition of the Greater Blue-Ringed Octopus Hapalochlaena lunulata from Ishigaki Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
In northern waters, stinger season runs roughly November to May. Swim inside stinger nets and wear a full-length stinger suit. If someone is stung by a box jellyfish, pour vinegar on the sting and call 000, and start CPR if the person stops breathing.
On rock pools and reefs, never pick up small octopuses or cone shells. Wear shoes in shallow reef water to avoid stonefish. A blue-ringed octopus bite may be painless at first, so a small, unnoticed nip is no reason to relax.
Bigger Killers You Might Not Expect
Heatwaves kill more Australians than any other natural hazard, including bushfires, cyclones and floods.37National Museum of Australia. Heatwaves Drink water often and avoid exertion in the hottest hours. Older people and those with health conditions are most at risk, so check on elderly neighbours during heatwaves.
Rip currents are the leading cause of coastal drowning in Australia.38PubMed Central. Quantifying rip current-related drowning deaths and exposure on Australian beaches They look like calmer, darker gaps between breaking waves. Swim between the red and yellow flags. If you’re caught in one, float, raise an arm and don’t fight the current.
About 7,220 melanomas a year, or 63%, are due to Australia’s high UV levels.39PubMed Central. Cancers in Australia attributable to exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation and prevented by regular sunscreen use Use sunscreen, a hat and shade even on cloudy days.
Quad bikes are a leading cause of death on farms.40PubMed. A Qualitative Enquiry of On-Farm Rules About Quad Bikes (ATVs): How Rules Are Determined and Implemented at a Farm Level in Rural Australia In 10 years, 155 people died in quad bike incidents, 116 of them on farms.41PubMed. A descriptive review of quad-related deaths in Australia (2011-20) Rollovers caused 59% of deaths.42PubMed. A descriptive review of quad-related deaths in Australia (2011-20) Wear a helmet and don’t carry passengers.
Death cap mushrooms grow in parts of south-eastern Australia, and in one group of 10 poisoned people, 4 died.43PubMed. Amanita phalloides poisoning and treatment with silibinin in the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales Never eat wild mushrooms you can’t identify with certainty.
In the tropical north, melioidosis, an infection from soil and water bacteria, killed about 9% of patients in one remote region.44PubMed Central. Melioidosis in the remote Katherine region of northern Australia Diabetes and heavy drinking were common among those infected.45PubMed Central. Melioidosis in the remote Katherine region of northern Australia46PubMed Central. Intensity of Rainfall and Severity of Melioidosis, Australia Wear boots in mud and wet soil, especially if you have diabetes.
Stinging Trees and Other Painful but Rarely Deadly Hazards
Australian stinging trees, known as gympie-gympie, carry hairs with a genuine nerve toxin, the first found in any plant’s stinging hairs.47PubMed Central. Distribution, Ecology, Chemistry and Toxicology of Plant Stinging Hairs Their sting can stay painful far longer than other plant stings because the toxin acts on nerves in a way that doesn’t easily reverse.48PubMed Central. Neurotoxic peptides from the venom of the giant Australian stinging tree
They grow in rainforests of eastern Queensland and northern New South Wales. Stay on tracks and learn to recognise their broad heart-shaped leaves. If you’re touched, remove the hairs with wax strips rather than rubbing, and see a doctor if the pain is severe or spreading.