Snakebite first aid for bushwalkers

Australia is home to many venomous snakes, and walkers sometimes see them on or beside tracks, especially in warmer months. Bites are uncommon, and snakes generally avoid people, but every walker should know the first aid. This guide summarises the advice of healthdirect and the Australian and New Zealand Committee on Resuscitation (ANZCOR). It's not a substitute for a first aid course, which we strongly recommend.

This guide is general information written in our own words, based on the official sources listed at the end. Track conditions, closures, fire danger and safety advice change, and rules differ between parks and states, so always check current park alerts and the managing agency's advice before you go. It is not a substitute for first aid training or local knowledge. In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).

Treat every bite as an emergency

healthdirect says all snakebites must be treated as potentially life-threatening. You often can't tell whether venom has been injected, and some bites cause little pain at first. Don't wait for symptoms before acting.

First aid steps

Based on healthdirect's advice, in our words:

1. Move away from the snake, and help the person away from it too. Don't try to catch or kill it.
2. Call Triple Zero (000) and ask for an ambulance. healthdirect notes that if 000 doesn't work on your mobile, you can try 112.
3. Keep the person still and calm. Lie them down. Movement helps venom spread.
4. Apply a pressure immobilisation bandage (see below).
5. Start CPR if the person is unresponsive or not breathing normally.
6. Stay with them until help arrives.

The pressure immobilisation bandage

healthdirect describes the steps as follows, in our words:

• Put an elastic roller bandage, about 10 to 15 cm wide, firmly over the bite.
• Use a second roller bandage on the arm or leg, starting just above the fingers or toes and wrapping up the limb as far as you can. healthdirect says it should be tight enough that you can't easily slide a finger between the bandage and the skin.
• Splint the limb to stop it moving.
• Write down the time of the bite and when the bandage was applied.
• If possible, mark the bite site on the bandage with a pen or take a photo.

ANZCOR explains the reasoning: most snake venom reaches the bloodstream through the lymphatic system, and research has shown very little venom reaches the circulation if pressure bandaging with immobilisation is applied promptly and maintained. ANZCOR also notes that correct bandaging is difficult to achieve, which is another reason to practise in a first aid course.

What not to do

ANZCOR's guidance is clear:

• Don't cut or incise the bite.
• Don't use an arterial tourniquet.
• Don't wash or suck the bite. St John Ambulance notes that venom left on the skin or clothing may help identify the snake.

Also, don't let the person walk out, and don't try to catch the snake for identification. Hospitals have other ways of deciding treatment.

Why bandages belong in every first aid kit

Carry at least two elastic roller bandages on every walk, even short ones. Improvised materials such as clothing can be used if you don't have bandages, but proper elastic bandages are much easier to apply firmly. Our pack list guide covers the rest of a first aid kit.

Calling for help in remote areas

If there's no phone coverage, and the bite is serious, this is exactly the kind of emergency a personal locator beacon is for. Keep the person still while someone activates the beacon. In a group of three or more, one person can stay with the patient while another seeks help, as NSW National Parks suggests. See our PLB guide.

Reducing your risk

• Stay on tracks, and watch where you put your feet and hands, especially around logs, rocks and long grass.
• Wear sturdy shoes and long pants on overgrown tracks.
• If you see a snake, stop, stay calm and give it space. Back away slowly and let it move on.
• Never try to handle or kill a snake.
• Take extra care in warm weather, when snakes are more active.

Learn first aid

A recognised first aid course teaches you how to apply a pressure immobilisation bandage properly, how to do CPR and how to manage other bushwalking injuries. It's one of the most useful things a regular walker can do.

Use our pack list

Our free pack list builds a checklist from the type of walk and the conditions you choose, such as hot weather, cold or alpine areas, remote walks without phone coverage and walking with children. It is based on NSW National Parks' bushwalking safety advice, runs entirely in your browser, and nothing you choose is sent anywhere.

Where our information comes from

Factual statements in our guides are based on official and expert sources, including NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, healthdirect, the Australian and New Zealand Committee on Resuscitation, St John Ambulance, the Australian Fire Danger Rating System, the NSW Rural Fire Service, the Bureau of Meteorology, Leave No Trace Australia and Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania. We link to each source at the end of the page and write everything in our own words.

Conditions change

Tracks close for fire, flood, storm damage, maintenance and pest control, and conditions can change quickly. Safety advice and park rules are also updated from time to time, and they differ between states and parks. Treat our guides as a starting point, and always check current park alerts, the weather forecast and the fire danger rating with the managing agency before you go.

Other states and territories

Our examples often draw on NSW National Parks advice, because it is detailed and clearly written, but every state and territory has its own parks agency, rules and safety information. Before walking in another state, check that agency's website for park alerts, bookings, fire and camping rules, and any trip registration options.

Learn first aid and navigation

Two skills make the biggest difference for regular walkers: first aid and navigation. A recognised first aid course teaches you how to manage injuries, snakebite and medical emergencies until help arrives. Navigation skills, including reading a topographic map and using a compass, help you stay on route when signs are missing or your phone fails. Walking clubs often run navigation training.

Walking clubs

Bushwalking clubs are a great way to build experience. Club walks are usually graded, led by experienced members and planned with safety in mind, and many clubs run training in navigation, first aid and multi-day walking. They are also a good way to discover new walks and meet people who share your interest.

A quick checklist

If you remember only a few things from our guides, make them these: choose a walk that suits the slowest person; check the weather, park alerts and fire danger; carry water, food, layers, a map, a torch and a first aid kit; tell someone your plans; carry a PLB for remote walks; and turn back when conditions change. In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).

Respect Country

Every walk in Australia is on the Country of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, many of whom continue to care for these places. Learn about the Traditional Owners of the areas you visit, respect any requests about culturally significant sites, and leave cultural places undisturbed.

Corrections and feedback

We review our guides against their sources and show the date each page was last checked. If you notice something out of date or incorrect, please tell us through our contact page. We read every message and correct mistakes promptly.

Key points

• Treat every snakebite as life-threatening and call 000 (try 112 if 000 fails on mobile).
• Keep the person lying down and still.
• Apply a firm pressure immobilisation bandage and splint the limb.
• Don't cut, wash or suck the bite, and don't use a tourniquet.
• Carry elastic roller bandages and do a first aid course.