‘Taking a leak’ behind a conveniently located bush is a just part of life for many Outback exploring grey nomads … but it doesn’t come without risks.
Just ask unlucky Gary Peters, who was bitten by a venomous snake while answering the call of nature outside the Gregory Downs Hotel, about 300km north of Mount Isa.
The 53-year-old came back in to the pub with a tea towel wrapped around his leg and told everyone he had been bitten by a snake. Fearing the strike was from a poisonous mulga, friends made a splint and bandaged Mr Peters up. As he started to fall in and out of consciousness, he was helped onto the back of a ute and driven to a nearby airstrip.
He was treated by RACQ Careflight paramedics and flown to Mt Isa Hospital where he remains in a stable condition.
Apparently, this wasn’t the first unlucky reptilian encounter for Mr Peters. He was reportedly also bitten by a snake in Proserpine last year.
Maybe it saw a foreign snake in it’s territory.