Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) has responded to 39 snake bites state-wide in the week from Monday, 15 December to Monday, 22 December 2025, highlighting the heightened risk as warm weather and holiday activity bring people and snakes into closer contact.
The Sunshine Coast continues to be a hotspot.
In November 2025 alone, QAS attended 18 snake bites in the Sunshine Coast District, part of a state-wide total of 157 incidents for the month. Paramedics say the figures reflect a seasonal pattern, with bites peaking as temperatures rise and snakes become more active.
On the Sunshine Coast, bites are most commonly reported around bushland fringes, waterways and semi-rural properties, including hinterland areas where development meets natural habitat.
Encounters also increase during gardening, walking pets, and outdoor recreation — all common summer pastimes for residents and visitors.
QAS officers warn that many bites occur when people accidentally step on or startle snakes hidden in long grass, leaf litter or near water. Eastern brown snakes are among the species frequently encountered in South East Queensland and are considered highly venomous.
Paramedics stress that any suspected snake bite is a medical emergency, even if there is little pain or no obvious wound. Symptoms can be delayed, and some bites initially appear minor before becoming life-threatening.
Residents are urged to call Triple Zero (000) immediately if bitten, keep the patient still and calm, and apply a pressure immobilisation bandage to the affected limb if trained to do so. Walking, washing the bite, cutting the skin or attempting to capture the snake can worsen outcomes and should be avoided.
Local wildlife carers say snake activity on the Sunshine Coast typically increases after rain and during prolonged hot spells, when reptiles move more frequently in search of food and shelter. Clearing yards of debris, keeping grass short and wearing closed shoes outdoors can significantly reduce the risk of bites.
With Christmas and school holidays underway, authorities are reminding beachgoers, bushwalkers and hinterland residents to remain alert, particularly in long grass, around creeks and near coastal dunes.
QAS has welcomed the community’s growing awareness of snake safety but says the latest figures are a timely reminder not to become complacent.
