[dasher65]

The snake that killed a power company worker in central Queensland is one of the deadliest on the planet, an expert says.

Ergon Energy crew leader Andrew Vaughan, 57, and two co-workers were trying to find a path to a power pole in thick scrub at Yeppoon when he was bitten last Thursday.

Ergon's Peter Billing told AAP the men were talking but could not see each other through thick lantana.

He said Mr Vaughan's colleagues knew something was wrong when he stopped answering them and his mobile phone rang out.
"As soon as contact was lost they raised the alarm," Mr Billing said.
Ergon Energy hired a helicopter to search for Mr Vaughan alongside police and SES workers.

He was reported missing about 2.30pm (AEST) and was found more than three hours later about 60 metres away from where the men were originally working.

The 57-year-old father had worked for Ergon for more than 20 years.
Mr Billing said it had been confirmed Mr Vaughan was bitten by a taipan and is believed to have died almost instantly.

His funeral will be held in Yeppoon on Friday.
"He was a well loved and highly respected gentleman and ... we expect there'll be a large turnout," Mr Billing said.

Dr Andrew Amey, from the Queensland Museum, said only one person is know to have survived a taipan bite without being given antivenom.

"There's all sorts of ways of ranking how dangerous snakes are, but the inland taipan has the most toxic venom of any snake known," Dr Amey told AAP.
"And the coastal taipan, which is the species which would have bitten this man, is not too far behind."

Taipans are now on the move as the weather warms and the males go in search of a mate.

Dr Amey said they are found throughout inland Queensland and right along the coast.
"Our museum records show they have been caught as far south as Canungra in the Gold Coast hinterland.

"Generally snakes will retreat if they can, and that is the case with the taipan, but it does have the reputation of being more active in defending itself if it feels threatened."

The only person ever to survive a taipan bite without antivenom was a pastor, George Rosendale, who was bitten in 1949 at the age of 19 as he sorted timber near a church at Hopevale, near Cooktown, in far north Queensland.
He lost consciousness after 15 minutes and was taken 50km to Cooktown on the back of a truck.
A visiting doctor on holiday from Victoria treated him, and despite pronouncing him dead four times, managed to repeatedly revive him.
He was taken to Cairns Hospital where he recovered after about two weeks, but he lost his sense of taste for six months and turned grey at 21.

Our native snakes and spiders are the deadliest in the world...sharks so fucking big and mean they'll eat you alive...drop bears that'll rip your flesh off your bones and eat it...

Visit Australia...great place to die!!! But our weed is great!!!

Good Lord, great place to die is it. I wonder if taipan bites are as painless as rattlesnake bites.

[dasher65]

Originally Posted by SeaMaiden

Good Lord, great place to die is it. I wonder if taipan bites are as painless as rattlesnake bites.

Dunno...few have lived to tell!!!

Seriously though...we live in a beautiful country filled with amazingly unique animals but we also have species of creatures considered the most deadliest on the planet.

Strangely we wear it as a badge of pride.

From taipans to tiger snakes, redback spiders to funnel webs, blue ring octopus to box jellyfish...not to mention saltwater crocodiles and great white sharks we have it all...

BT...great to see you back on deck...hope all is well

[Donald Mallard]

Hey dasher ,
did u see the report of the fella that died in the desert the other day,
only took a few hours after leaving the car they say ,
bit hot and dry it seems ...
his mate was lucky to survive ...

[Rumblefish]

Originally Posted by Donald Mallard

Hey dasher ,
did u see the report of the fella that died in the desert the other day,
only took a few hours after leaving the car they say ,
bit hot and dry it seems ...
his mate was lucky to survive ...

What a tragedy that was,if those fella's stayed with the car and waited for help that young fella would likely be alive today,half a tank of fuel would run your air con all day and give you at least 2 liter's off drinkable water from the air con unit,the desert is so unforgiving .
with regard's to our beautiful snakes we have
More than 20 people die each year in Australia from horse riding related accidents. Less than 2 a year die from a snakebite.
The deadliest of all Australian creatures, responsible for an average of 10 deaths per year, is the European Honey Bee, which can induce anaphylactic shock in some people.
Scuba diving causes 8 deaths a year here in Australia.
Don’t even get me started on road traffic deaths!
So, you are statistically more likely to die going horse riding or scuba-diving, by being struck by lightning or stung by a bee or wasp or by simply getting about in a car.
The worst countries in the world for snake deaths are Sri Lanka and India, followed by South Africa, Africa and then the USA. Yes, the USA has a higher death rate from snake bites per year than Australia. If you have ever travelled to America, has anyone ever said to you “oh my God! What about the snakes?”

I don’t think so.

[noyd666]

hi, you forgot our dangerous' trees' they are allways killing houses, they dont like humans to much, and they like to fall on cars.

[brotherindica]

Originally Posted by SeaMaiden

Good Lord, great place to die is it. I wonder if taipan bites are as painless as rattlesnake bites.

Inland Taipan bites are incredibly neurotoxic. Unique compared to most snake venoms, this one actually permanently damages pre-synaptic neurons. Even anti-venom treatment can't reverse some effects, but stop respiratory paralysis/death. Not very painful though. Mr. Vaughn likely had difficulty breathing and quickly passed out before going into respiratory failure. Not a great way to go, but there are far, far worse ways to die.



Just an FYI, most rattlesnake bites are very painful. With the exception of the Northern Pacific Rattlesnake, almost all rattlesnake venom is hemo & cytotoxic. Often producing massive tissue damage, incredible clotting which leads to incredible bleeding. The whole ordeal is just nasty.

Sorry, 4SD has me rambling.......

[sso]

those spiders and whatnot probably explains the manliness of australian men, that and how feminine the women are.

"save me crocodile dundee, there is a spider in my bathtub."

"crikey, better bring me machete."


though personally, id just remodeled the bathroom after saying "honey, bring me the flamethrower, im going in."

[rives]

Originally Posted by sso

though personally, id just remodeled the bathroom after saying "honey, bring me the flamethrower, im going in."

As a kid, I always found my mom's Aquanet (hair spray) and a match to be a very effective tool.

[Scottish Research]

Man's best friend kills more people year in and year out than any other animal wild or not.

Of course snakes are creepy and trigger deep fears and emotions that we honed while we were still swinging from trees and learning how to walk upright.


R.Fortune