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Queensland water safety

Sea snakes.
Give them room.

Sea snakes are venomous marine reptiles. Encounters can be calm and uneventful when people keep clear, but any suspected bite needs immediate emergency care.

If one approachesSnake-bite first aid ↓
Suspected sea snake bite

Call Triple Zero (000) immediately.

Keep the person still and follow the emergency operator’s instructions. Do not wait for symptoms.

Call 000
Know the animal

Venomous—not something to handle.

Queensland Government identifies sea snakes as front-fanged elapid snakes and records 23 species in Queensland. The Australian Institute of Marine Science says Australia is a global hotspot, with 30 of the world’s 70 known sea snake species.

Species, behaviour and habitat vary. Do not use colour, markings or a photograph to decide that an encounter is harmless. Keep a respectful distance from every sea snake.

01

They breathe air

Sea snakes surface to breathe, then return underwater to forage or rest. A snake swimming upward may simply be heading for air.

02

Coastal habitats vary

Sea snakes occur in tropical marine waters. Queensland records include reefs, inshore bays and fringing reefs; distribution differs by species.

03

They are protected wildlife

Observe without touching, feeding, catching or interfering. Give the animal an unobstructed route away.

In the water

If a sea snake approaches.

An approach can be investigative rather than an attack. Do not guess its intention; use calm, low-risk actions that protect both you and the animal.

  1. 1

    Pause and stay calm

    Avoid thrashing, sudden direction changes and loud underwater noise. If diving, maintain normal safe-diving procedures.

  2. 2

    Create distance slowly

    Move smoothly away when it is safe. Keep clear rather than trying to hold position close to the animal.

  3. 3

    Leave its path open

    Never chase, grab, poke, feed, corner or block a sea snake. Do not reach toward it for a photograph.

  4. 4

    Alert others and exit safely

    Calmly signal nearby swimmers or your dive buddy. Return to shore or the boat without rushing; divers must ascend according to their training and dive plan.

Emergency first aid

Treat every suspected bite seriously.

A bite may be difficult to see or feel. Do not wait for pain, weakness, breathing trouble or other symptoms before calling for help.

1

Call 000

Ask for an ambulance and stay with the person. Check breathing and circulation; begin CPR if required and if you are trained.

2

Keep completely still

Lie the person down, reassure them and minimise all movement. Do not let them walk or swim for help.

3

Bandage and splint a limb

For a bite on an arm or leg, apply a firm pressure-immobilisation bandage over the bite and along the limb, then immobilise it with a splint. It should be firm, not tight enough to stop circulation.

4

Leave the bite undisturbed

Do not wash the site, use a tourniquet, cut or suck the wound, or try to catch or kill the snake. Follow the Triple Zero operator’s directions.

Official guidance

Read the source material.

Queensland Government — snake questions

Queensland species context, protected wildlife and what to do when a snake is encountered.

Open official source ↗Reef Authority — responsible reef practices

Official diving and snorkelling guidance: move deliberately, keep clear and never chase, grab or block marine wildlife.

Open official source ↗Queensland Health — bites and stings

Emergency steps, pressure immobilisation, splinting and actions to avoid after a suspected snake bite.

Open official source ↗Healthdirect — sea creature bites and stings

Specific advice for sea snake bites: call 000, keep still, use pressure immobilisation on a bitten limb and provide CPR if required.

Open official source ↗Australian Institute of Marine Science — sea snakes

Australian sea snake diversity, ecology and conservation research.

Open official source ↗

iChecked 15 August 2026. This is general safety information, not medical advice or species identification. In an emergency, call 000.

Look, don’t touch

Quiet water. Generous distance.

Respect free-swimming wildlife and plan every swim, snorkel or dive so you can leave the water safely.

Explore South Straddie responsibly