The General Chat Thread (2025)
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SandwichShortOfAPicnic
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I’ve been told by round the world travellers that Australia is the only country that will actively try to kill you 
I should add - I am terrified of spiders regardless of how big or small .... so posting what I did took a lot of
Only touristsI’ve been told by round the world travellers that Australia is the only country that will actively try to kill you
Seriously, yes we have a lot of very dangerous critters but the average person wont come in contact with any of them unless they bush walk or are stupid where crocs are concerned. You just have to heed the warnings as they are serious. Beaches up north are shut down and people are bannd from swimming due to blue ring octopus and so forth. You dont swim in rivers up north unless you want to become an apetiser and you don't stick your hands in dark holes in the bush ....
Stayng safe in Austrlia is common sense just ask any of us Aussies who seem to hav survived pretty well over the years
Stayng safe in Austrlia is common sense just ask any of us Aussies who seem to hav survived pretty well over the years
SandwichShortOfAPicnic
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I know, they are only joking, kind of. I think it’s more of a reference to how the wildlife in Australia behaves.Seriously, yes we have a lot of very dangerous critters but the average person wont come in contact with any of them unless they bush walk or are stupid where crocs are concerned. You just have to heed the warnings as they are serious. Beaches up north are shut down and people are bannd from swimming due to blue ring octopus and so forth. You dont swim in rivers up north unless you want to become an apetiser and you don't stick your hands in dark holes in the bush ....
Stayng safe in Austrlia is common sense just ask any of us Aussies who seem to hav survived pretty well over the years
Dangerous animals in European countries will go out of its way to avoid contact with humans. In Australia it’s the reverse and the humans have to avoid it
Australian wildlife has a reputation for not being shy and rather fearsome.
My brother and sister in law moved to Taz about 25 years ago and the wildlife definitely doesn’t mind inviting itself in. They nearly lost my niece when something bit her (they think it was an ant).
Roos are the things most non native motorcyclist seem to fear the most.
Motor cyclists should be wary of Roo's - they are like deer here - they come out of no where and aren't concerned about vehicles. I can't imagine what woul dhappen to someone on a bike who got struck by a jumping roo ... I don't think there would be a second chance sadly. Bd enough getting jumped on by oneor hitting one in a car.
Aussie wildlife is generally very social and curious and we do tend to have this wild dangerous country reputation which is kind of good as it means we get a lot of curious and adventurous tourists - some even get to go home
Tazzy is pretty much all bush so there will be a greater chance of someone coming across some nasties down there. By the same token, I think it is one of the most livable and scenic places in Australia. There are some ants - bull ants coome to mind that have a pretty nasty bite but don't think they are venemous but coul dmake you pretty sick I suppose. There are other ants that are venemous, not to the point of being able to kill someone though. I geuss the safe thing to do is don't touch anything that does go woof or meow
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SandwichShortOfAPicnic
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Never ride between dusk and dawn seems to be the general advice. I’m told they find the headlights dazzling and can’t figure out your speed or direction so even if they want to avoid you they can still end up going straight into your path.Motor cyclists should be wary of Roo's - they are like deer here - they come out of no where and aren't concerned about vehicles. I can't imagine what woul dhappen to someone on a bike who got struck by a jumping roo ... I don't think there would be a second chance sadly. Bd enough getting jumped on by oneor hitting one in a car.
Aussie wildlife is generally very social and curious and we do tend to have this wild dangerous country reputation which is kind of good as it means we get a lot of curious and adventurous tourists - some even get to go home
Tazzy is pretty much all bush so there will be a greater chance of someone coming across some nasties down there. By the same token, I think it is one of the most livable and scenic places in Australia. There are some ants - bull ants coome to mind that have a pretty nasty bite but don't think they are venemous but coul dmake you pretty sick I suppose. There are other ants that are venemous, not to the point of being able to kill someone though. I geuss the safe thing to do is don't touch anything that does go woof or meow
Yer I think Australia is on most overlanders hit list along with New Zealand.
It caused her to have a one off anaphylaxis which they Doc’s said is common with ant bites
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I'll see if I can find a few of my friends tomorrow when I'm on the laptop. I've gotten quite used to them now.Oz has it's fair share of nasties, spiders, crocodiles, lizards, scorpions and snakes are no exception. Other than our pythons, all the others are nasty and potentially deadly. Hm, then again, so is mot of our wild life ......
On the upside - you only find some of them in the townsd and cities such as copperheads, white tail spiders, black widows, redbacks etc. Oh and there are the huntsman spider that ike to sit on your sun visors so when you pull them down they drop into your lap - Great fun in peak hour traffic
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Barriehie
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Those vipers strike faster than humans can comprehend, you don't even see it. I read somewhere they're, rattlesnakes, moving right about 160 mph/257 kph...
Mostly see King Snakes, yea!!!, around here but have to remain aware of the Rattlers and the copperheads. Copperheads most prevalent.
JAS_OH1
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Yes.
When I was 18 and living in Florida, the drinking age was 18. They changed it to 19 before I turned 19, but I was "grandfathered" in so it didn't apply to me. After I turned 19, they changed it to 21, but again, it didn't apply to me and I was legally allowed to purchase and consume alcohol.
Me too. If really small I can cope. I've told the tale somewhere of how I nearly sold my car due to a spider.I should add - I am terrified of spiders regardless of how big or small .... so posting what I did took a lot of courage on my part
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Only about 10-15% of snakes in Venezuela are venomous. There are about 200 different varieties. In the garden here, we've found grass snakes, northern runners, boas, blind snakes and coral snakes. Stamp on the ground a few times, and they'll go away.
The nastiest lives more towards the centre of the country; the fer-de-lance, known locally as a mapanare. Not nice, bad-tempered and quick to attack if disturbed.
The nastiest lives more towards the centre of the country; the fer-de-lance, known locally as a mapanare. Not nice, bad-tempered and quick to attack if disturbed.
Never ride between dusk and dawn seems to be the general advice. I’m told they find the headlights dazzling and can’t figure out your speed or direction so even if they want to avoid you they can still end up going straight into your path.
Yer I think Australia is on most overlanders hit list along with New Zealand.
It caused her to have a one off anaphylaxis which they Doc’s said is common with ant bites
Yep - that is the general rule of thumb but if you have to - take it slow. We have similar issues here with deer so I avoid riding after dark if possible.
Look forward to meeting them
Barriehie
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Rattlesnakes will hunker down and hope you go away, counting on their camouflage. Its so good you can see the snake, look away for an instant, and when you look again you can't see it.
Gone Hiking
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We have venemous rattlesnakes and copperheads here, and I am not a fan. The problem is they are so well camouflaged that you usually don't see them until you are about to step on them. I've almost done that a few times, and in fact have stepped on snakes twice, though we both went our own ways so fast that I wasn't able to confirm what kind they were. One of the few things I like about winter is that I don't have to worry about them when I'm out hiking this time of year.