Life-Saving Lessons from a Freak Eastern Brown Snake Encounter

NARELLAN: Following a dramatic rescue in Sydney’s south-west where a woman survived multiple bites from an eastern brown snake trapped in her shoe, experts are highlighting the critical steps that can prevent a fatal outcome during a snake encounter.

The victim, who was geocaching in Narellan, followed a “textbook” response that snake catcher Cory Kerewaro says was the difference between life and death.

According to Kerewaro, the woman’s immediate reaction to freeze once she identified the snake was vital.

“A lot of people think you get bitten and you’re gone, but staying completely still has a big part,” he explained. In Australia, snake venom travels through the lymphatic system. Movement acts as a pump, accelerating the venom’s journey toward the vital organs. By remaining motionless, the victim significantly slowed this process.

The eastern brown snake became stuck in the heel loop of the woman’s shoe.

Kerewaro urges all Australians to be prepared when heading outdoors, especially during the warmer months when snakes are most active:

Keep one in your backpack and another in the glovebox of your car. These specific bandages are designed to apply the correct pressure to the limb.

Not all bites result in envenomation (a “dry” bite), but you cannot tell the difference without medical testing. “Always go to hospital, even if you don’t think you’ve been bitten,” Kerewaro warns.

If a snake becomes stuck—as happened in the Narellan case where it was caught in a shoe loop—do not attempt to pull it off. Call 000 immediately.

The Narellan incident also serves as a reminder that extreme weather affects wildlife behavior. The 36-degree heat on Saturday eventually led to the snake’s death from exposure, but it also made the animal more erratic as it struggled to find shade and free itself from the victim’s shoe.

“It’s still unbelievable,” Kerewaro said of the freak entanglement. “The woman did exactly the right thing.”