dasher65
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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!!!
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!!!
hi, you forgot our dangerous' trees' they are allways killing houses, they dont like humans to much, and they like to fall on cars.
