Wildlife Dangers
Although mosquitoes are found across the whole of the country, malaria is not endemic; however, in the tropical north there are regular outbreaks of similarly transmitted Ross River Fever and Dengue Fever, chronically debilitating viruses which are potentially fatal to children and the elderly. Medical researchers believe that mosquitoes as far south as Sydney may be carrying the Ross River virus, which is reason enough not to be too blase about mozzie bites. Aeroguard and Rid are the popular brands of insect repellent. The danger from other wildlife is much overrated: snake and spider bites, and crocodile and shark attacks are widely publicized and an essential part of the perilous Outback myth - nonetheless, all are extremely rare. There are always scares, such as when a couple of people died from being bitten by flying foxes infected with the rabies-like lyssa virus in Queensland in 1996 - it's best not to handle bats, should you have the opportunity. Rabies itself is unknown in Australia. The way to minimize danger from saltwater crocodiles (which actually range far inland) is to keep your distance. If you're camping in the bush within 100km of the northern coast between Broome (WA) and Rockhampton (QLD), make sure your tent is at least 50m from waterholes or creeks, don't collect water at the same spot every day or leave any rubbish around, and always seek local advice. Four-wheel drivers should take extra care when walking creeks prior to driving across. Snakes almost always do their best to avoid people and you'll probably never see one. They're more likely to be active in hot weather, when you should be more careful. Treat them with respect, and it's unlikely you'll be bitten: most bites occur when people try to catch or kill snakes. Wear boots and long trousers when hiking through undergrowth, collect firewood carefully, and, in the event of a confrontation, back off. Sea snakes sometimes find divers intriguing, wrapping themselves around limbs or staring into masks, but they're seldom aggressive. If bitten by a snake, use a crepe bandage to bind the entire limb firmly and splint it, as if for a sprain; this slows the distribution of venom into the lymphatic system. Don't clean the bite area (venom around the bite can identify the species, making treatment easier), and don't slash the bite or apply a tourniquet. Treat all bites as if they were serious and always seek immediate medical attention, but remember: not all snakes are poisonous, not all poisonous snakes inject a lethal dose of venom every time they bite, and death from snakebite is rare. Two spiders whose bites can be fatal are the Sydney funnel-web , a black, stocky creature found in the Sydney area, and the small redback , a relative of the notorious black widow of the Americas, usually found in dark, dry locations. January and February are the months in which there is the greatest danger of bites by both. Treat funnel-web bites as for snakebite, and apply ice to redback wounds to relieve pain; if bitten by either, get to a hospital - antivenins are available. Other spiders, centipedes and scorpions can deliver painful wounds but generally only cause serious problems if you have allergies. Ticks, mites and leeches are the bane of bushwalkers, though spraying repellent over shoes and leggings will help keep these pests away in the first instance. Ticks are poisonous and you may want to check yourself over after a hike, but you'll probably feel them - look for local stinging and swelling (usually just inside hairlines) and you'll find either a tiny black dot, or a pea-sized animal attached, depending on which species has bitten you. Kill the tick with kerosene and then, using tweezers, pull it off, while trying to avoid squeezing the animal's body, which will inject more venom. Some mites cause an infuriating rash known as "scrub itch", which characteristically appears wherever your clothes are tightest, such as around the hips and ankles. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do except dab on more kerosene to kill the mites, take antihistamines and wait a day or two for the itching to stop. Leeches are gruesome but harmless; insect repellent, fire or salt gets them off the skin, though bites will bleed heavily for some time. More serious is the threat from various types of jellyfish (also known as stingers or sea wasps), which occur in coastal tropical waters through the summer months. Two to watch out for are the tiny irukanji and saucer-sized box jellyfish, though both are virtually invisible in water. Irukanji have painless stings, but their venom causes cramping and severe abdominal pain, and side-affects which can continue for months. Box jellyfish stings leave permanent red weals, and the venom can cause rapid unconsciousness and even kill if the weals cover more than half a limb. Treat stinger victims by dousing the sting area (front and back) with liberal amounts of vinegar (never rub with sand or towels, or attempt to remove tentacles from the skin - both could trigger the release of more venom); apply mouth-to-mouth resuscitation if needed, and get the victim to hospital for treatment. Whatever the locals are doing, don't risk swimming on tropical beaches during the stinger season (roughly Oct to May).
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