Thanks to the likes of Crocodile Dundee and Steve Irwin, people around the world have developed a fascination with the Land Down Under. Unfortunately, many people are hesitant to travel to Australia. Often, they will blame it on the distance or on the cost of getting there, but it is clear to see that the reason people don’t come to Australia is that they are scared. Australia is famous for having the most deadly animals in the world. Would be travelers are scared that by traveling to Australia they are taking their lives into their hands when they step off of the plane.
I am here to tell you that you don’t need to worry about all of our deadly animals. Most tourists will not come into contact at all with any of our nasties, but if you follow these tips, she’ll be ‘right mate.
1. Snakes. Sure, Australia has 9 out of the 10 deadliest snakes in the world, but unless you are rooting around under rocks in the middle of the desert, your chances of seeing them are almost non-existent. There is absolutely no chance of you running into a snake while in any of the cities like Melbourne or Sydney. The only time when you need to worry about snakes is if you venture out into the outback. Then, the rule is, if you see a snake, give it a wide berth.
2. Spiders. The scariest spider in Australia is the common huntsman spider. They will give most people a bit of a fright, but they are completely harmless. They actually eat other spiders so they are pretty handy to have around the house. The reason that they are so scary is that they happen to be massive. A full grown huntsman is about the size of an adult hand. There are a few poisonous spiders floating around this massive country, but if you leave them alone, they will leave you alone. If you are in remote areas, give your shoes a shake before you slip them on and check the toilet seat before you sit down. Just in case.
3. Sharks. Australian waters do have a few sharks swimming around, but your chances of being bitten by one of these feisty fish is ridiculously remote. More people are killed per year by kites and donkeys than sharks. At most popular Australian beaches, they will even close the beach if a shark has been sighted in the area.
4.Crocodiles. In the north, they do have some nasty crocodiles. The only way to avoid them is to not swim where they are present. There are many signs posted in areas that are home to crocodiles. It would be pretty hard to accidentally stumble into a croc’s swimming hole.
5. Jellyfish. In Northern Queensland and the Northern Territory, there are two jellyfish in the water that you don’t want to mess with. The box jellyfish and irukandji are quite poisonous and will definitely ruin your holiday. Fortunately, they are generally only present from around November to June. During that time, you really shouldn’t swim in the ocean. Luckily, they only hang around the coast so if you go out to the Whitsunday Islands or the Great Barrier Reef, there are no stingers around.
Hopefully, some of your fears and reservations have been addressed. If you do decide to come to Australia, don’t worry, we will take good care of you.
