Snake Alert: Expert Flags High-Risk Camping Hotspots

An Australian snake expert is sounding the alarm this camping season, after new nationwide data crowned these camping hotspots across Australia as having the highest snake-bite risk in the country, with one rural town in NSW emerging as the single most dangerous camping hotspot in all of Australia.

The study by OCAM 4X4 Accessories weighs the number of local campsites against local annual venomous snake sightings, with NSW and South Australia campers having the highest human-to-snake danger rating in Australia, with 14 camping hotspots across both states ranking in the top 20 danger index.

NSW Tamworth is Camping Hotspot With Highest Snake Bite Risk, Study Finds

According to the study, NSW’s Tamworth is the most dangerous nationally, boasting seven local campsites and 438 reported snake sightings, mostly comprised of the brown snake, red-bellied black snake and black snake, all of which compounds its danger index score of 100. With a population of 43,874 (as of 2021 Census data), that’s a snake sighting for every hundredth person*.

Sydney Snake Catcher founder Chris Williams said “snakes go where the food and shelter are, and that is exactly what a campsite looks like to them.

“In these areas, cleared land near water, woodpiles, long grass, sheds and outbuildings all pull in rodents and frogs, with snakes following their prey.”

Australia’s Top 20 Camping Regions With High Snake Risk 

Tamworth has been revealed as Australia’s most snake-prone camping region. Source: OCAM 4×4/Atlas of Living Australia

Mr Williams said rural hotspots like Tamworth and Singleton have a mix of farmland, waterways and disturbed ground that rodents love.

“It is not that these areas are unusually snake-heavy; it is that the conditions created by farming, camping and tourism are ideal for both the prey and the snake,” he noted.

New South Wales didn’t just claim the top spot; it dominates the entire list, with eight of the twenty most snake-prone camping regions in the country, more than any other state or territory.

South Australia wasn’t far behind, landing six regions in the national top 20, including four positions in the top ten. Even the remote Northern Territory made the cut, with two outback camping regions near Alice Springs, Finke River and Waterfall Gorge, ranking 14th and 19th nationally, proof that snake risk isn’t just a coastal or farmland problem.

Queensland and the ACT, by contrast, failed to record a single region in the national top 20. The study’s methodology notes that survey coverage is sparser in some parts of the country, so an area’s absence from the list reflects a lack of data as much as it does safety.

Australia’s most common dangerous camping snake

Mr Williams said campers nationwide should “be most aware” of the brown snake, which was recorded among the top three species in 13 of the 20 most snake-prone camping regions in the country.

“They are fast, alert to movement, found almost everywhere from bushland to open paddocks, and their venom is highly toxic,” he said.

Tiger snakes were the next most frequently recorded species nationally, appearing in nine of the top 20 regions, according to Mr Williams.

“Tiger snakes sit in between,” he said. “They are more prone to standing their ground if cornered, especially in the cooler southern states.”

Red-bellied black snakes were the third most frequently recorded species nationally, appearing in eight of the top 20 regions. They are generally shy and will retreat given the chance, according to Mr Williams.

Mr Williams noted that none of these species was aggressive by nature, and every one of them would rather escape than engage.

“The danger comes from surprise encounters, stepping too close, or cornering them without realising it,” he said.

What to do in a snake encounter 

In the event of an encounter with a venomous snake, Mr Williams said the first thing to do was stop moving and back away slowly the same way you came.

“Do not run, do not make sudden movements, and do not try to herd it off the track,” he said.

“Most bites happen when someone tries to touch, catch or kill a snake, not from walking past one.”

Keep other people and pets well back, and give the snake room and time to move away on its own. According to Mr Williams, most snakes will move on within a minute or two.

How to reduce your chances of a snake encounter 

There are also a number of preventative measures campers can take to reduce their chances of encountering a venomous snake.

Mr Williams says the biggest mistake campers make is leaving gear, shoes, tents and firewood stacked on the ground overnight without checking it in the morning.

“Snakes will use whatever shelter is available, so keep the site clear and tidy,” he said.

“Stack firewood off the ground and away from tents, do not leave rubbish or food scraps out overnight, and give sheds, woodpiles and long grass a wide berth.”

According to OCAM 4×4 Accessories director Peter Gorgievski, snakes can find their way into your vehicle or tent more easily than you may think.

“They will follow warmth and shelter into a wheel arch, an open door, a swag or a pile of gear left on the ground overnight, so keep everything zipped, sealed and off the dirt where you can,” he said.

“Avoid parking directly near long grass, dense brush, log piles, or standing water where snakes actively hunt or seek shelter,” he said, “add a rooftop tent to stay off the ground, and try to ensure any dogs have a safe area to play, whether that’s with a lead, cage or camp fencing.”