Byron wildlife heads-up: what to actually watch for (and what not to worry about)

The "everything in Australia wants to kill you" reputation is overblown. The actual Byron wildlife situation:

Snakes — eastern brown, red-belly black and carpet python all present in the hinterland (Cape Byron headland track, Minyon Falls track, Nightcap National Park). The eastern brown is dangerous. Wear closed shoes on bush walks, don't reach blindly into rock crevices, and stay on the marked tracks. If bitten: pressure-immobilisation bandage on the limb (firm but not tight), keep the victim still, call 000.

Spiders — the notorious Sydney funnel-web is a Sydney species, but other funnel-webs live in moist forests along the east coast, including northern NSW, so treat any suspected funnel-web bite as an emergency (same first aid as a snake bite). Red-backs are present but the bite is rarely serious. Don't reach into woodpiles at the campsite. That's the extent of it.

Ticks — bush ticks + paralysis ticks present in the hinterland. Don't pull them off: kill them with an ether-containing freeze spray from a pharmacy and let them drop off. The paralysis tick bite can trigger mammalian-meat allergy in some — worth knowing.

Leeches — autumn (May-July) is leech season in the rainforest tracks. They're harmless, just unpleasant. Salt or a lighter removes them.

Sharks — Julian Rocks has leopard sharks in summer and grey nurse sharks in winter. The grey nurse is not aggressive. Avoid murky water post-rain (river mouths), dusk/dawn surf alone. Risk is real but small.

Bluebottles — November-May main season. Hot water 45°C is current treatment (not vinegar). Usually mild.

Drop bears are not real. People will tell you they are. Don't believe them.

The most realistic Byron wildlife risk: sunburn. Apply reef-safe sunscreen often.