Queensland woman pops into pantry for supplies but finds eastern brown

An eastern brown snake has slithered into a Queensland RSL kitchen and given the cook quite a fright.

Earlier this week the worker at the Wondai Diggers' Memorial & Citizens' Club, in the state's South Burnett region, popped into the pantry to grab some supplies but realised she had company.

"She just saw it and froze," snake catcher Darryl Robinson told Yahoo7.

The woman, with a broom in her hand, kept her distance and called the catcher.

When Mr Robinson arrived he started rearranging the pantry before he spotted the venomous visitor.

Snake and catcher then engaged in a swift game of cat and mouse, part of which was captured on video and shared on Facebook.

"It was a bit of a firecracker that one," Mr Robinson said.

The snake catcher said the serpent was darting around and attempted to bite him a couple times.

"Every time I went to grab it it launched," he said.

"It was just trying to get away, it wasn't trying to attack me or anything."

At one point the spirited reptile tried to make a quick escape out of the pantry around Mr Robinson's feet, but the snake catcher blocked it and finally got it safely into the bag.

Staff had not been sure what type of snake it was when they called the catcher, telling him it was black in colour and about four-feet long, but he confirmed the visitor was a venomous eastern brown.

"It was an unusual one because it was right in the middle of town," he explained.

The discovery was made on Monday morning before doors at the RSL opened, but it is not known how long it had been inside.

"They can squeeze in anywhere," Mr Robinson said.

"The average roller door won't stop a snake from getting in."

He explained that during hot days snakes want to be inside too, and said if you find one stay still or back away and call for professional help.