‘Biggest brown ever' slithers across Aussie golf course

Herald Sun

22-04-2025

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Golfers have been left shocked after seeing a massive eastern brown snake slithering along a course on the NSW Central Coast.
The huge reptile was filmed making its way along the Magenta Shores golf course in broad daylight as horrified spectators watched on from a distance.
The video was posted to the Snake Identification Australia group by Peter Jones where it was identified as an eastern brown.
Eastern brown snakes are known for their fatal bites. Picture: News.com.au
Viewers were in disbelief, with one commenting, 'That would have to be THE biggest brown EVER'.
'I am never going there for a visit,' wrote another.
'I think l would have dropped dead seeing that in front of me,' agreed another.
Eastern brown snakes are among the most notorious venomous snakes in Australia, with a bite being fatal in little as half an hour.
Known for their speed, agility and highly potent venom, these snakes are responsible for more snake bites in Australia than any other species.
Found primarily in eastern Australia, they are highly adaptable and can be found in various habitats such as woodlands, scrublands, grasslands and suburban gardens.
The massive reptile can be seen making its way across the course. Picture: Facebook/Peter Jones
Austin Pols from Sydney Snakes and Wildlife Removal told news.com.au that they had never caught a brown snake of that size.
'It looks to be nearly three meters. Usually they only grow to two meters in length with a 1.5 metre average. Anything larger is spectacular,' he said.
'It seems to be very well fed and survived many seasons.'
Eastern brown snakes can live to 10-plus years in the wild 'if they're lucky' as opposed to an average of seven in captivity. However, they are generally more likely to have longer lifespans in captivity due to ample food.
They mainly survive off rodents, lizards, birds and frogs, making a golf course prime real estate for the reptile.
It appears to be three metres in length despite the average brown snake growing up to 1.5 metres. Facebook/Peter Jones
'This snake looks to be six or seven years old, however it is impossible to know for sure,' said Mr Pols.
'It seems to have tolerated the harshest conditions or gotten extremely lucky.'
Mr Pols estimates that the snake has reached its enormous size due to a great mix of luck, ample food, water sources and undisturbed shelter.
'We get calls out in golf courses frequently. They tend to love the location due to it offering a snake everything it could possible need, namely food, shelter, water and sun,' he added.
Despite the ongoing fear of these deadly animals, Mr Pols urges Aussies to note that snakes want absolutely nothing to do with humans.
'If encountered in a golf course, keep your distance and let it pass by. Luckily, golf courses are usually well maintained, making it near impossible to accidentally step on one and risk getting bitten.'
Originally published as Massive brown snake slithers across golf course