Mother finds danger lurking in innocent family photo

A mother in Wimmera, Victoria, will be thanking her lucky stars after her toddler had a very close brush with death.

Two-year-old Molly was having her photo taken in the driveway of her home on Wednesday as she modelled clothing for an Australian children’s clothing label when her mother and photographer, Bianca Dickinson saw something move by her daughter’s feet.

After first thinking it was a piece of bark, she was shocked to realise it was actually a large Eastern brown snake slithering past her oblivious toddler and quickly snatched Molly away.

Writing about the terrifying experience on Facebook, Dickinson said “I can’t believe it didn’t touch her!”

It was only after returning home and checking her camera roll that she discovered she had captured the horrifying moment on film.

The Eastern brown snake is considered to be the world’s second most venomous snake, and it is responsible for more than half snake bite deaths in Australia.

With a large number of snake species calling Australia home, it is important to know how to avoid encountering or being bitten while travelling throughout the country.

• Keep out of long grass and weeds when hiking or walking through bushlands.
• Snakes don’t hear noise, they feel vibrations. So, stomp your feet to alert snakes and keep them away.
• Always be alert, especially during the warmer months when snakes are more likely to be out in the sun.

If you do happen to come across a snake, it is important to remember that they are naturally timid, so remaining still and waiting for them to leave is the best course of action.

Snake bites are relatively rare, and if you stick to these tips you are unlikely to find yourself in a situation where it’s needed, but it’s always prudent to keep your first aid knowledge up to date just in case.

Have you ever had a close brush with dangerous wildlife? Share your stories with us in the comments section below.