First Aid for snake bites in Queensland
Queensland is home to some of the most venomous snakes in the world, including the eastern brown snake, the coastal taipan and the red-bellied black snake. Bites are rare, and deaths are rarer still, thanks largely to good First Aid and antivenom. But knowing exactly what to do in those first minutes matters. Here’s how to give First Aid for a snake bite.
This guide follows the Australian and New Zealand Committee on Resuscitation (ANZCOR) guidelines. It's not a substitute for hands-on training. In an emergency, always call Triple Zero (000).
Treat every snake bite as dangerous
You can’t reliably tell a venomous snake from a harmless one by its colour, and many bites leave only faint scratches or no visible mark at all. Snake bites are often painless, and symptoms can take an hour or more to appear. Treat every suspected snake bite in Australia as potentially life-threatening, even if the person feels fine.
Australian snake venom mostly travels through the lymphatic system, not the bloodstream. The lymphatic system is moved along by muscle movement. That’s why the most important First Aid for a snake bite is to keep the person still and apply firm pressure: together, they slow the venom down until the person reaches hospital.
Snake bite First Aid, step by step
1. Check for danger. Move the person away from the snake if it’s safe to do so. Don’t try to catch or kill the snake. That’s how a lot of second bites happen.
2. Call Triple Zero (000). Do this straight away. If you’re alone, call first, then start First Aid.
3. Keep the person still and calm. Lie them down and ask them not to move. Don’t let them walk to the car, even a short distance. Bring help to them instead.
4. Apply a pressure immobilisation bandage. For a bite on an arm or leg:
- Use a broad elastic bandage, ideally 10 to 15 cm wide. Many snake bite bandages have rectangles printed on them that turn into squares when you’ve stretched them to the right tension. If you don’t have a bandage, use clothing, towels or anything you can tear into strips.
- Leave clothing on if removing it would mean moving the limb. Bandage over the top of it.
- Apply a firm bandage directly over the bite site first.
- Then start a second bandage at the fingers or toes, and wrap firmly up the limb, covering as much of the limb as possible. It should be firm and tight, so you can’t easily slide a finger underneath it.
- Mark the location of the bite on the bandage with a pen if you can.
5. Immobilise the limb. Splint the limb with anything rigid, like a stick, a rolled-up newspaper or a tightly rolled towel, and bandage it in place. For a bite on the arm, a sling helps keep it still. The person should stay lying down.
6. Monitor the person. Stay with them, keep them still and watch their breathing. Some venoms can cause sudden collapse. A bite from a brown snake can cause the person to collapse or become confused and then seem to recover, so don’t be reassured by an apparent recovery. If they become unresponsive and stop breathing normally, start CPR. There’s no risk of venom being passed to you while giving CPR.
7. Leave the bandage on. Don’t remove the bandage or splint. The hospital team will take it off once they’re ready to treat the person.
Bites on the head, neck or body
You can’t bandage a bite on the head, neck or body the same way. For a bite on the body, firm direct pressure over the bite site may help, as long as it doesn’t restrict their breathing or chest movement. Don’t apply firm pressure to the head or neck. Keep the person completely still and wait for the ambulance.
What NOT to do
- Don’t wash the bite. Traces of venom on the skin can help the hospital identify the snake, and choose the right treatment.
- Don’t cut or suck the bite.
- Don’t use a tourniquet. Arterial tourniquets aren’t recommended for snake bites in Australia.
- Don’t let the person walk, run or move around.
- Don’t try to catch or kill the snake. It risks more bites. A photo can help with identification, but only if you can take it from a safe distance.
Signs and symptoms to watch for
Symptoms vary depending on the snake and may not appear for an hour or longer. They can include:
- Headache, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain
- Dizziness, confusion or collapse
- Blurred or double vision, drooping eyelids
- Slurred speech or difficulty swallowing
- Muscle weakness or difficulty breathing
- Bleeding from the bite site or gums, or blood in the urine
Even if none of these appear, the person still needs to be checked in hospital.
Snake bite myths
“You need to catch the snake.” You don’t. Hospitals work out the right treatment from the person’s symptoms and tests, and a photo taken from a safe distance is plenty. Trying to catch or kill the snake only puts more people at risk.
“Suck out the venom.” This doesn’t work, and it can harm both people.
“If it doesn’t hurt, it wasn’t a venomous snake.” Some of Australia’s most dangerous snakes leave a nearly painless bite.
“If there’s no reaction after 10 minutes, they’re fine.” Symptoms can be delayed. Every suspected bite needs medical assessment.
The same technique works for other bites and stings
Pressure immobilisation is also the recommended First Aid for:
- Funnel-web spider bites, which occur in parts of South East Queensland
- Blue-ringed octopus bites
- Cone snail stings
It’s not recommended for redback spider bites, bee stings or most other bites and stings. For those, apply a cold pack and seek medical advice if the pain is severe or the person feels unwell. If anyone shows signs of a severe allergic reaction after a bite or sting, such as difficulty breathing or swelling of the face or tongue, treat it as anaphylaxis: use their adrenaline autoinjector if they have one, and call Triple Zero (000).
Reduce your risk
Snakes are most active in the warmer months, from spring through to autumn. When you’re outdoors:
- Wear long pants and enclosed shoes, especially in long grass and bushland
- Stay on tracks and watch where you step and put your hands
- Carry a torch at night
- Never try to handle, catch or kill a snake. Call a licensed snake catcher instead
- Carry at least two broad elastic bandages in your First Aid kit
Planning a bushwalk or camping trip? Read our list of what to put in an outdoors First Aid kit, and our First Aid tips for outdoor enthusiasts in Queensland.
Learn it hands-on
Applying a pressure immobilisation bandage correctly takes practice, especially under pressure. In our First Aid course you’ll practise snake bite bandaging along with CPR, bleeding control, fractures and more. Courses run every week in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, and your certificate is emailed the same day.