Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

If you’ve been to Australia, how often did you see spiders?

112 replies

feelingstifled · 23/01/2024 19:10

Hi all. Going to Australia for the first time this year. I hate spiders, so I’m slightly panicking at the thought of encountering lots of big ones. So if you’ve been there, how often do you think we will be coming across them? Thanks !

OP posts:
wandawaves · 24/01/2024 13:26

HoppingPavlova · 24/01/2024 11:40

Yeah, sure, we have spiders, lots of spiders, but to make out we are infested with dinner plate sized ones everywhere in our homes and you can’t move for them being everywhere including your bed is so ridiculous.

In several decades I have only ever had a bird eating spider in the house once. Sure, plenty of huntsmen, and the odd funnel web, and of course the obligatory red-backs when I was a kid and we still had outdoor dunnies in some places, and lots of big orbs the further north you go, but can’t get into bed due to the dinner plate spiders I’d have to clear out first🤣. Also, to clarify, I’ve never been attacked by sharks jumping out of puddles, or had to fight my way through masses of snakes just to get to work (in a city). Have seen lots of snakes though.

There’s just so much hysteria.

Yes, exactly!
I mean yes I see a spider most days, but none of them have ever jumped out and attacked me.
Honestly I wonder what people picture Australian's everyday lives to be like.
Do people still think that we ride kangaroos to school/work too? 🙄

Cas112 · 24/01/2024 13:31

None really when I was in the city. Regularly when I was farming

PandaChopChop · 24/01/2024 13:37

MrsGusset · 24/01/2024 10:34

I've visited Australia a number of times & I can't recall ever catching so much as a glimpse of a spider (and I would remember if I did because I too am an arachnophobe). However I usually stayed in modern city centre hotels where you're unlikely to come across them.

My only scary Australian wildlife encounter was when I went off the beaten track & was staying in an old, rather run down place in a rural area of the Northern Territory. Awoke in the night to go to the loo & in my half asleep state couldn't understand why the walls of my room, which were white when I went to bed, had turned black. And seemed to be moving.....

When I turned on the light I found I was surrounded by an army of massive black cockroaches - dozens of the things. My horrified screams could have woken the dead!

Now that would have me never ever returning. Cockroaches are the reason I'm not moving to Australia 🤣

DazedandConfused1234 · 24/01/2024 13:49

I was there years ago. We had what I think was a huntsman in our hostel room near Uluru, and I came face to face with a big one while wading though a river on Fraser Island (forget why I was doing that). Other than that none.

We did have a lot of cockroaches in our flat in Sydney which was a bit yuck, and there was talk of a boa constrictor in a hostel I stayed in up North somewhere, but I never saw it. I hate snakes so was relieved about that one!

Surprisingly bug free couple of months really!

DazedandConfused1234 · 24/01/2024 13:52

I did get bitten by a bull ant (I think it was) when wearing flip flips once. That stung like a bugger and I thought it might have been a spider at the time, but everyone just laughed at me and sure enough the pain subsided. Just a warning to maybe avoid flip flops or check the ant situation if you are going to wear them.

RantyAnty · 24/01/2024 13:57

wandawaves · 24/01/2024 13:26

Yes, exactly!
I mean yes I see a spider most days, but none of them have ever jumped out and attacked me.
Honestly I wonder what people picture Australian's everyday lives to be like.
Do people still think that we ride kangaroos to school/work too? 🙄

Show quote history

No, my kangaroos waited down by the letterbox in my driveway and brought the mail up to me.

ShillyShallySherbet · 24/01/2024 13:59

I was there a month and didn’t see one. I went in July, which is their winter, and stuck mainly to the cities/coastline rather than going into the bush! The weather and temperature was perfect as well, would recommend going at that time of year. Not sure if there’s more creepy crawlies about in the summer.

RantyAnty · 24/01/2024 14:02

unkownone · 24/01/2024 05:45

Staying In Sydney and was a massive huntsman in near the lifts 🤣 We live regionally and get lots of spiders. They have never crawled on us. Usually hiding in a bathroom or hanging on a wall.

Or run across your face in the middle of the night. 😂

QueenBitch666 · 24/01/2024 14:14

Parky04 · 24/01/2024 08:14

Never, but the cockroaches were the size of rats!

😳

Mimilamore · 24/01/2024 17:58

Not one , 4 weeks in NSW. Also no snakes, a brief view of a small lizard, few Roos from a distance but lots of dead ones on the road. Very pretty birds though, the Ibis is the pigeon of the supermarket car park!

DifficultBloodyWoman · 24/01/2024 20:37

RantyAnty · 24/01/2024 13:57

No, my kangaroos waited down by the letterbox in my driveway and brought the mail up to me.

Show quote history

Really? Mine are more like dogs that try to chase the postie away. I have to rely on the possums to bring the post up but you know what they’re like. 🤣

Mimilamore · 03/02/2024 17:44

Not one... in 4 weeks. Or lizard or wombat or platypus... but like badgers, weasels, stoats and otters here. They aren't out to get you!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread