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Brown snake swims between kids in backyard pool


Two Queensland kids looking to beat the heat in a backyard pool have been given a fright after a deadly eastern brown snake came swimming between them.

Sunshine Coast snake catcher Stuart McKenzie was called out to the Nambour property on Sunday after reports a “smallish” snake had made its way into the water and swam past the children, who he believes were about eight or nine years old.

“The snake went through the pool and went in between the kids… they got a huge fright when they saw it,” he told Yahoo7 News.

“It had plenty of opportunities to bite them but it didn’t, he was just trying to get from one side to the other.”

Snake catcher Stuart McKenzie removes the deadly brown from the pool before relocating it. Image: Facebook/The Snake Catcher 24/7 – Sunshine Coast
Snake catcher Stuart McKenzie removes the deadly brown from the pool before relocating it. Image: Facebook/The Snake Catcher 24/7 – Sunshine Coast

Arriving at the property, Mr McKenzie and his partner thought they were looking for a three-foot whip snake as they spent half an hour shifting the pool’s rock wall trying to find it.

After lifting one final rock, the experienced snake catcher received a fright of his own.

“We were just lifting rocks off, expecting it to be a mildly venomous whip snake,” he added.

“When I saw what it was, I thought I was lucky I didn’t put my finger anywhere in the wrong place.”

The eastern brown snake had been swimming in the backyard pool of the Nambour home. Image: Facebook/The Snake Catcher 24/7 – Sunshine Coast
The eastern brown snake had been swimming in the backyard pool of the Nambour home. Image: Facebook/The Snake Catcher 24/7 – Sunshine Coast

He said any bite from an eastern brown could be fatal and warned homeowners to leave any snake handling to the professionals.

“A lot of the venomous snakes are going to be on the move, it’s still breeding season, people just need to be vigilant,” Mr McKenzie added

“If they are happy for it to be there, leave it that’s fine, just don’t take it into your own hands.”