In a harrowing incident that underscores the dangers of Australia’s wildlife local Danny Allen narrowly escaped death after being bitten by a deadly Eastern Brown Snake.
The recent incident occurred on a friend’s five-acre property located on the corner of Honour Avenue and Bullecourt Road in Corowa.
Mr Allen, who is the owner of Corowa A and A Automotive Repairs, said he had taken his daughter and young grandson to a friend’s property to catch frogs and mice. Little did he expect that the routine clean-up on the property would turn into a life-threatening encounter.
"It was a cold day, so we never expected to see a snake as we were searching under things that were lying around on the property, and we found some frogs before I noticed a wet mattress lying next to a tractor," Mr Allen recounted.
"My daughter was on a ride-on mower, and she used it to move the mattress and as I walked over to it with my grandson I told him his mum will move it and for him to be prepared to catch any frogs or mice that may be hiding under the mattress," Mr Allen said.
As his daughter pulled the mattress away from the tractor, a snake suddenly appeared, rearing up within a foot of their faces.
Mistaking it initially for a stick, he soon realised the danger they were in.
"I grabbed the snake with my bare hand as it tried to strike us. I managed to push my grandson out of the way," he recalled.
Despite feeling initially unharmed, Mr Allen soon began experiencing adverse symptoms from the bite.
"I didn’t feel like I had been bitten and instinct told me to uncoil the snake from my arm and throw it away, and I went on with my day as I felt fine.
“But a few minutes later I started to feel light-headed and dizzy and realised something was terribly wrong and told my daughter to call an ambulance," he described.
Rushed to Corowa Hospital and later transferred to Albury, Mr Allen received life-saving anti-venom after it was determined that the snake had bitten one of his fingers and had injected a full dose of venom.
"I am very lucky to be alive," Mr Allen acknowledged, reflecting on the severity of the encounter.
Local paramedic Mr Dale Cornell, who responded to the emergency call while off-duty, played a crucial role in Mr Allen's rescue.
With assistance from the local rural fire service, Mr Allen was swiftly transported to Corowa Hospital before being transferred to Albury Hospital for intensive care.
The Eastern Brown Snake, known for its potent venom and aggressive behaviour, ranks as the world's second most venomous snake. Found commonly in farmlands and urban fringes, eastern brown’s pose a significant threat due to their quick-acting venom, capable of killing in as little as 15 minutes.
Eastern Brown Snakes are most commonly encountered in the spring, though they are also active on mild winter days and can sometimes be seen basking in air temperatures as low as 14 degrees celsius.
Following his ordeal, Mr Allen expressed deep gratitude towards his family, medical staff, the fire department and the community for their support during his recovery.
"I want to thank paramedic Mr Dale Cornell, and all the other paramedics involved from Ambulance NSW, all the medical staff from Corowa Hospital and Albury Hospital and the Corowa Fire Department, all who played a big part in saving my life and my staff and customers for being so understanding in this challenging time," he said.
"Make the most of every day as you never know when it may be your last," Mr Allen said.
Danny Allen’s story serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by Australia's wildlife and the importance of swift medical intervention in such critical situations.