Australia's Best Lists

IMG: Guido Gautsch

Australian Box Jellyfish

Also known as the sea wasp or sea stinger, this jellyfish can have up to 60 tentacles each 15 feet long. Each tentacle has 5,000 stinging cells and enough toxin to kill 60 humans and effects from a Box Jellyfish sting include confusion, agitation, and unconsciousness followed by respiratory failure. The Irukandji Jellyfish, which is only 2.5 centimetres in diameter, is related to the Box Jellyfish and via its four tentacles can also deliver a deadly sting.

IMG: Toby Hudson

Australian Funnel-web Spider

There are 37 species of funnel-web spider in Australia, found in most regions of the country. Both are shiny black in colour with a dark purple/brown abdomen. Females grow up to 40 millimetres in length while males are about 10 millimetres smaller, but their venom is six times more toxic. The Sydney funnel-web is the most renowned being able to inject 0.17mg of deadly venom into its prey, an amount of venom that can easily kill a human. Pictured in the northern tree-dwelling funnel-web spider.

IMG: Ryan Wick/Flickr

Australian Redback Spider

Only female red-backs are considered dangerous. They are about one centimeter in diameter, black with a red marking on their abdomen, and build very strong, large silk webs capable of catching mice and lizards. Red-backs are extremely versatile, preferring building sites and areas of human habitation.

IMG: Bernard Dupont/Flickr 

Australian Saltwater Crocodile

The Australian saltwater crocodile can sense the presence of prey through changes in water pressure, as well as using other senses such as vision and hearing. Large crocodiles grab prey with awesome force before they crush or drown their capture. The Australian saltwater croc is the heaviest reptile alive today weighing up to 1000 kilograms and growing to lengths of seven metres. Saltwater Crocodiles will easily eat kangaroos, wallabies, and wild pigs.

IMG: Rickard Zerpe/Flickr

Blue Ring Octopus

The Blue Ring Octopus is a deadly venomous octopus that inhabits warm waters and shallow reefs off the coast of Australia. Within its salivary glands live bacteria, which produce the chemical tetrodotoxin which is a strong, fast-acting toxin that paralyses the target by blocking the nerves from transmitting messages. The paralysis that overcomes the victim is only to their voluntary muscles, they remain fully conscious and death usually occurs as a result of lack of oxygen.

IMG: Sheba_Also/Wikipedia

Brown Snake

The Eastern Brown Snake is another one of Australia’s most dangerous reptiles. It is fast-moving and aggressive.

IMG: AllenMcC/Wikipedia

Coastal Taipan

The Coastal Taipan is one of the country’s most feared snakes because it sports the biggest fangs, one of the most lethal venoms and a rather aggressive nature residing in parts of North Queensland and the Northern Territory.

IMG: Beachsafe

Cone Shellfish

The dangerous types of Cone Shellfish are found in tropical waters around Australia. A Cone Shellfish uses darts to kill its prey. These darts are poisonous. Twenty to thirty darts are kept in a pool of poison in the mouth of a Cone Shellfish. Learn More at BeachSafe Australia

IMG: Luke Allen/Wikipedia

Death Adder

The Death Adder is the 9th most deadliest snake in the world found everywhere in Australia except for Victoria and Tasmania.

IMG: Elias Levy/Wikipedia

Great White Shark

Great White Sharks, the ocean’s most feared predator, 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 Great White is grey in colour from the top and white underneath.

IMG: BM10777

Inland Taipan

Reportedly the most venomous snake in the world, the Inland Taipan, also known as the Small-scaled or Fierce snake only lives in the arid deserts of central Eastern Australia.

IMG: Toby Hudson

Mouse Spiders

Mouse spiders can be found in environments from deserts to eucalypt forests. They do not live in Northern Rainforests or in Tasmania. They have large fangs approx. 1 to 2.5 centimetres in length. Their venom is equally as dangerous as a Sydney Funnel Web Spider.

IMG: Matt/Wikipedia

Red-bellied Black Snake

The Red-bellied Black Snake is widespread on the coast and ranges of eastern Australia. This snake is dangerously venomous but bites are rare, preferring to perform a lengthy bluff display with flattened neck and deep hisses.

IMG: Sunshine Coast Council

Stonefish

The Stonefish is another of Australia’s deadly marine creatures which inhabit shallow waters along the coast. The Stonefish is well camouflaged in the ocean, as it is a brownish colour, and often resembles a rock. The most striking feature of this species is its spine of 13 grooved hypodermic-like projections, each capable of piercing a sandshoe and each has extremely toxic venom. Learn more at the Sunshine Coast Council

IMG: Matt/Wikipedia

Tiger snake

The Tiger snake is found in southern and eastern Australia. They are usually around a metre long and have a striped marking. Tiger Snake bites are currently one of the most common snake bites in Australia, along with Brown Snake bites.