Neil .... maaaaaate ..... don't be put off!! You learn to live with our weird and whacky wildlife; they're part of the mystique of this wonderful, wide brown land of ours. And yes, we certainly do have our fair share of deadly/dangerous critters & creepy crawlies roaming about the place, but, as one or two others have already said, they prefer to keep to themselves as long as people are careful and don't do anything that's likely to piss them off.
By the way, did you know that of the top 10 deadliest snakes in the world, 6 of them live right here in Australia! Especially dangerous is the one-eyed trouser variety ... its venom is particularly potent, so I'm told.
FYI .....
Australia's top 10 most dangerous animals
1. BOX JELLYFISH
The Box Jellyfish (also known as a Sea Wasp) is a very dangerous creature to inhabit Australian waters. The Jellyfish has extreme toxins present on its tentacles, which when in contact with a human, can stop cardio-respiratory functions in as little as three minutes.
This jellyfish is responsible for more deaths in Australia than snakes, sharks and salt water crocodiles.
The creature has a square body and inhabits the north east areas of Australia. The tentacles may reach up to 80 cms in length. It is found along the coast of the Great Barrier Reef.
2. IRUKANDJI JELLYFISH
The Irukandji (Carukua barnesi) inhabits Northen Australian waters. This is a deadly jellyfish, which is only 2.5 cenimetres in diameter, which makes it very hard to spot in the water.
This is a species of jellyfish which has become known about in recent years, due to deaths of swimmers in Australia.
3. SALTWATER CROCODILE
The Saltwater Crocodile is the world's largest reptile. These amazing creatures are found on the northern coast of Australia and inland for up to 100 kms or more. The Saltwater Crocodile has been reported to grow to lengths of 7 metres, but the average size of a Saltwater Crocodile is 4 metres long.
They reproduce in the wet season, with the female crocodile laying up to 60 eggs at a time. When the crocodiles are born, only a very small number of these survive in the wild and grow to be adult crocodiles.
The crocodile is now a protected species in Australia, however, if human danger is a factor, the crocodile will be moved away from possible contact. Many years ago Australia used to export crocodile skin; this is now illegal.
4. BLUE RINGED OCTOPUS
The Blue Ringed Octopus is a deadly venomous octopus which inhabits warm waters and shallow reefs off the coast of Australia. It also lives off the coast of New Guinea, Indonesia and the Phillipines.
This octopus has distinctive blue rings (hence its name) on its body and eight tentacles. With the tentacles spread, it is about 20 cms in diameter. It feeds on small sea creatures, and wounded fish.
5. STONEFISH
The Stonefish inhabits shallow waters along the coast. It is is well camouflaged in the ocean, as it is a brownish colour, and often resembles a rock (hence the name).
It has thirteen sharp dorsal spines on its back, which each have extremely toxic venom. The venom of a stonefish can kill a human in two hours.
People swimming in the ocean need to take care, as they can unknowingly step on a Stonefish and have venom injected into their foot.
6. RED-BACK SPIDER
The Red Back Spider is Australia's most well known deadly spider. They are found all over Australia, and are common in urban areas. The Black Widow Spider (found in the USA) is a close relative of the Red Back. These spiders are usually found under logs, rocks, bricks, sheds and outdoor toilets.
The Red Back Spider feeds on insects, but can take down small lizards and crickets. These spiders are small in size, the females being about 1cm long and the males about 4mm long.
7. BROWN SNAKE
The brown snake is approximately 1.5 metres long, and is one of Australia's more deadly creatures. They have venom which can cause death to humans relatively quickly if left untreated. Brown snakes up to 2.3 metres have been recorded in Australia.
They feed on small creatures, such as mice and rats, small birds, lizards or even other snakes. These snakes are found in Eastern Australia (but not in Tasmania).
8. TIGER SNAKE
The common tiger snake is found in southern and eastern Australia. They are usually around a metre long, and have a striped marking (hence the name Tiger Snake). This is not always the case however, as the markings can change due to the seasons and the age of the snake. They can grow up to 1.5 metres in length.
These are venomous snakes, and will attack if they are disturbed or threatened. Otherwise, they can live quietly. They are also often territorial, and will live in the same area for years. They are also found in suburban areas, even in the newer suburbs.
It is quite rare to die from a tiger snake bite these days as antivenom is readily available.
9. GREAT WHITE SHARK
Great White Sharks are solitary animals, but have also been reported to swim in pairs or groups. They are found on all coasts of Australia, and throughout the World.
They range between 3.5 to 5 metres long, and weigh on average 1,300kg. The females are larger than males. The Great White is grey in colour from the top, and white underneath. They have on average 2,800 teeth in their mouth, all in rows and triangular in shape. They are slanted on an angle inwards, which helps keep hold of their prey.
They attack their prey once, and then wait and let their prey bleed to death. They have an amazing sense of smell, and can pick up blood in water a long way away. This helps them to track down their prey, or potential prey.
10. FUNNEL-WEB SPIDER
Funnel-web spiders are found in eastern Australia, including Tasmania, in coastal and highland forest regions - as far west as the Gulf Ranges area of South Australia. Thirty-six species, including three tree dwelling species, have been identified.
Bites are most prevalent during summer and autumn when males leave the burrows in search of females. Accidental encounters with wandering males usually occur in gardens, houses, garages and sheds - particularly ground-level dwellings on concrete slabs.
Bites are dangerous and can cause serious illness or death. The venom appears to particularly affect primates (ie humans), whereas other mammals - such as cats and dogs - are relatively resistant.
The male Sydney Funnel-web Spider is more dangerous than the female. This is because the toxic venom component that attacks the human and primate nervous system so severely is only present in male spiders. Initial symptoms after a bite include local pain, mouth numbness, vomiting, abdominal pain, sweating and salivation. Antivenom is available and no deaths have occurred since its introduction.