# coastal taipan distribution



## Helikaon (Oct 28, 2010)

Hey guys, having a dicussion with one of the vets at work. am after an accurate distribution of coastal taipans in the south east qld region.

cheers
Gary

Looking for info from the local snake relocators, one of the venom detection kits came up with coastal taipan


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## Helikaon (Oct 28, 2010)

i have never once seen a taipan here, everytime someone thinks its mulga or taipan it ends up being an eastern brown.


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## najanaja (Oct 28, 2010)

none of us could give a accurate distributation only from common knolledge..
ive been a snake catcher on the northern gold coast and hinterland region and have only had to relocate 3 over the years...

one was at Coomera, one at Canungra and one at Jimboomba...

dont know if that helps


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## Waterrat (Oct 28, 2010)

There are few records from northern NSW. I don't know the exact locations.
You would find data on ccurate distribution in SE Qld with QM. Patrick Cooper is the Curator of reptiles there, a very approachable man, give him a call.


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## redbellybite (Oct 28, 2010)

Well according to the local rag GYMPIE TIMES ...a Taipan was caught by a local snake catcher on SATURDAY 23.10.10.. at one of the local schools in Gympie ...but like I said it is in the local paper ...would think if this was the case it will be recorded and the EPA will get records of the catch ...


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## najanaja (Oct 28, 2010)

Waterrat said:


> There are few records from northern NSW. I don't know the exact locations.
> You would find data on ccurate distribution in SE Qld with QM. Patrick Cooper is the Curator of reptiles there, a very approachable man, give him a call.


 
ive heard of them in the suger feilds in the lismore(ish) region.


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## Helikaon (Oct 28, 2010)

Thanks Waterat. i will do that 2morro. 

Would any of you consider the range from books like the wildlife of greater brisbane accurate?


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## -Peter (Oct 28, 2010)

In the 70's I took a tai to the old Qld Museum. It was identified and taken from me. I have since been told that no tais have been recorded from that time. Having just recently arrived in Qld from Vic I had thought it to be a brown. The place being between Mitchelton and Keperra in 1975. I later caught a tai in the grounds of Government House in Fernberg Rd Bardon in the late 70's but its most likely it was dumped there. The main snakes there were browns and carpets. Brisbane was a very different place then.


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## Waterrat (Oct 28, 2010)

The thing is - how precise do you need to go? They occur all along the Qld coast but there are pockets where they are totally absent and there hot spots. This map is from a 1986 publication and I am sure QM will have an updated version.


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## nico77 (Oct 28, 2010)

gary my unkle used to get them some times at lowood hanging around next to the thunder box in a pile of old timber , he is a bit of a hill billy (found a brown in the house and took to it with a 12 gauge once ) so they may have been browns .

cheers nico


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## Helikaon (Oct 28, 2010)

Im not sure of the exact area the client comes from but i would say local to the ipswich region


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## Firepac (Oct 28, 2010)

I did a "wildlife online" extract for the Ipswich City council area and the taipan was not listed. However that isnt to say that it has not been found just not recorded by DERM


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## Jonno from ERD (Oct 28, 2010)

G'day guys,

I don't want to call anybody a liar, but I have a keen interest in Coastal Taipans, especially those that occur in SEQ. 

VDK's can give false positives - it has happened before. I wouldn't trust it 100% especially when it comes up with something quite rare. 

Localities for SEQ include Canungra, Dundas, Fernvale, Lacey's Creek, Kin Kin and Coolum Beach. They are incredibly rare snakes in SEQ - I have searched for over 8 years now, in all of the spots, including exact GPS marks, and have yet to turn one up. A lot of the records are 25+ years old and would represent the last of now locally extinct populations. Very few have been recorded in the last 15 years.


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## Jonno from ERD (Oct 28, 2010)

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/australian-snakes-37/wild-coastal-taipan-photos-87506/


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## Helikaon (Oct 28, 2010)

thanks jonno.


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## cement (Oct 28, 2010)

Johnno have you ever heard of a Tai being found at Grafton? I was looking at a distribution map the other day and it shows a few finds from Nth NSW.


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## Jonno from ERD (Oct 28, 2010)

G'day mate,

There have been three confirmed Taipans from about 20 minutes north of Grafton (and I have seen photo's of a fourth).


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## Helikaon (Oct 28, 2010)

hey jonno how long ago was the recording for fernvale, as that would be the closest location to this particular case. the interesting fact from this is that the symptoms were different to the typical symptoms of snake bites in this area and it was given Coastal taipan Antivenine and has recovered beautifully. i still believe it was a false positive but it peeks my interest none the less


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## Jonno from ERD (Oct 28, 2010)

G'day mate,

I was under the impression you were out near Gatton, hence why I was a little dismissive. I know of two definite Taipans from within 5km northwest of Fernvale in the last five years. There's also a 35 year old record of a roadkill at the Brisbane Valley Highway turnoff at Blacksoil (near the BP servo's).


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## eipper (Oct 28, 2010)

there have been taipans recorded (more than one) in beaudesert

they are also in more than location in the northern rivers districts in NSW


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## beatlloydy (Oct 28, 2010)

Is the lack of them appearing in SEQ due primarily to habitat destruction or is something that has always been the case?...i.e usually found in more tropical localities...btw...the snakehandler course instructer (I went on his course late last year) there reported of sightings in nthn NSW (around Grafton)...why would this gap exist (i.e sightings in Nth NSW but limited in SEQ)?


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## shlanger (Oct 28, 2010)

Greetings all, I recall David Fleay telling me that Coastal Tai's occured as far south as the Clarence River in Northern N.S.W.


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## blakehose (Oct 28, 2010)

beatlloydy said:


> Is the lack of them appearing in SEQ due primarily to habitat destruction or is something that has always been the case?...i.e usually found in more tropical localities...btw...the snakehandler course instructer (I went on his course late last year) there reported of sightings in nthn NSW (around Grafton)...why would this gap exist (i.e sightings in Nth NSW but limited in SEQ)?


 
I have no idea of the terrain around these areas - though are there any significant geographical factors that could contribute to the seperation? ie Mountain ranges. Such things can result in allopatric speciation - which isn't the case here but interesting none the less. Maybe the conditions even though they are close, contrast enough to cause a split.


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## eipper (Oct 28, 2010)

Taipans are in the mountain ranges, its seems that the topography is not as much as an issue. They are nervous alert snakes by nature...this tends to mean that most people don't see them...including herps!

Cheers,
Scott


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## blakehose (Oct 28, 2010)

eipper said:


> Taipans are in the mountain ranges, its seems that the topography is not as much as an issue. They are nervous alert snakes by nature...this tends to mean that most people don't see them...including herps!
> 
> Cheers,
> Scott


 
Thanks for the info Scott - where have you previously found specimens yourself?


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## Jonno from ERD (Oct 28, 2010)

beatlloydy said:


> Is the lack of them appearing in SEQ due primarily to habitat destruction or is something that has always been the case?...i.e usually found in more tropical localities...btw...the snakehandler course instructer (I went on his course late last year) there reported of sightings in nthn NSW (around Grafton)...why would this gap exist (i.e sightings in Nth NSW but limited in SEQ)?


 
A species will only occur in the correct habitat throughout its distribution. A lot of people will see a distribution map and assume that that particular species will occur everywhere within that area, when in actual fact, it will only occur in its preferred habitat.

Coastal Taipans prefer well drained, grassy slopes and never stray more than a few kilometres from the base of mountains. This is one of the reasons why they are quite common in cane fields - the cane is planted on the flats between mountains.

I am only making reference to what I consider confirmed sightings - either confirmed with a photograph, museum specimen, or by someone with considerable experience. There are lots of anecdotal reports of Taipans turning up all over the place, but a lot of it is wishful thinking rather more than anything.


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## garthy (Oct 28, 2010)

Jonno from ERD said:


> G'day guys,
> 
> I don't want to call anybody a liar, but I have a keen interest in Coastal Taipans, especially those that occur in SEQ.
> 
> ...


 
I have the same issue here in the Muswellbrook region with Tiger snakes. I have performed hundreds of rescues/relocations of vens, many of them reported to be tigers.
Not one tiger snake in over 13 yrs. Other relocators swear that they have caught notechis, I have begged them for proof and nothing has been forthcoming. A man was bitten on the golf course and was treated with polyvalent antivenom, suspected to be tigersanke bite, yeah rite! The densest (is this a word?) population of tigers exists at the headwater (beginning) of Pol Blue in the Barington Tops, I hav witnessed tigers in their dozens in close proximity here but never further down the valley.


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## Jonno from ERD (Oct 28, 2010)

G'day Garthy,

Thanks for your insight. Unfortunately modern snake catchers are often regarded as authorities on the subject, but a lot aren't (sorry snakecatchers out there...but if you're on here, chances are you don't fall into that category). I remember a thread on here a few years ago from a newly permitted snake catcher in Ipswich asking if the snake he just caught was an Eastern Brown or Coastal Taipan (it was quite obvious it was an Eastern Brown). 

At the end of the day, there is a lot of talk, but very rarely evidence!


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## eipper (Oct 29, 2010)

Notechis come right along to about 25kms from Scone on the Isis river and are also on the the Page.

They are fairly common at low elevation around Stewarts brook and Moonan Flat as well as being on belltrees

Jonno....I know of a tai that was seen within about 150m of the top of one of the SEQ ranges


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## Fuscus (Oct 29, 2010)

try this page - Coastal taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus) at the Australian Reptile Online Database | ReptilesDownUnder.com


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## jack (Oct 29, 2010)

beat me to it scott... Garthy, i have picked up a tiger on the banks of the pages river north of scone, on my grandparents farm. only browns and redbellies at my cousin and uncles farms closer to town though.

in regards to taipans and misleading anecdotal evidence, the longest brown snake i have seen was on the road between grafton and a place called jackadgery, and if i was a regular punter i reckon would be telling all and sundry i saw a taipan in nsw


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## redbellybite (Oct 29, 2010)

*this little snippet from a Gympie muster website ...I copied/pasted it ...lmfao @ 'viper'*

*Snakes alive!*

Fifty hectares; 13 sites; thousands of visitors … one snake. No ordinary snake, mind. Lurking near the St John Ambulance station (how’s that for handy?) was a taipan – the world’s most venomous viper. “Saturday arvo, as the sun’s going down, everyone’s piled in the camping ground,” tells Ed from NSW. “Then a guy from St John Ambulance ran over and almost tackled me out of the way.”
Unfortunately for the taipan, it decided to make its Gympie debut at the moment one event official was clocking off for the night. One of his hands was busy with a Bundy & cola, but he put the other to good use – by picking up the taipan by its tail. It takes a lot to knock these guys off their stride.


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## redbellybite (Oct 29, 2010)

Well no wonder we arent seeing them in the SE QLD we are looking for the wrong ones we need to be looking for the VIPER ones


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## Jonno from ERD (Oct 29, 2010)

I would almost guarantee it would be a Brown Tree Snake up there. We did some shows up there when we first started the business (got to meet Jimmy Barnes!) and Brown Tree's were rampant.


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## Waterrat (Oct 29, 2010)

Isn't every killed taipan a brown tree snake?


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## Jonno from ERD (Oct 29, 2010)

Either that, or a Keelback.


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## AllThingsReptile (Oct 29, 2010)

funny how their called "coastal" taipans, but are nowhere near the coast, instead on mountains LOL


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## Jonno from ERD (Oct 29, 2010)

G'day lizardboii,

They are most definitely a "coastal" species - check out the distribution map here - Coastal taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus) at the Australian Reptile Online Database | ReptilesDownUnder.com - you'll see that they stick close to the coast all around Australia. The specimen from the western Victorian/SA border would be incorrect identified.


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## pythons73 (Oct 29, 2010)

From memory a friend of mine that lives up in Grafton has seen 2 Tais just north of the town,of some dirt road.about 12ks from town.He also knows his reptiles,I will find out if he has any pictures also...SAme applies to Coastal Carpets Lizardboii,there found 100s of ks away from the coast...


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## Kupres (Oct 29, 2010)

I used to own property on the Wivenhoe (East side) Crosdale... Mckey rd to be prescice..... If you want.. just before you turn into Mckey rd just keep going straight till you reach a dead end before the road goes into the Wivenhoe... Get out,, go left & go looking around there... I caught a very large costal there about 8-9 yrs ago.... Neighbour had a bad bite & was treated for coastal.. spent a few weeks in the hospital...


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## Jonno from ERD (Oct 29, 2010)

Hi Kupres, do you have photo's of it?


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## PimmsPythons (Oct 30, 2010)

In the gladstone area,we turn up a few coastal tais each year. most of our local adults are very dark in colour while the young ones are lighter .they also seem to have populations in pockets and as stated earlier,also seems to be at the base of mountain ranges.Yarwin is a local hotspot where they are quite common and is at the base of Mt Larcome. the other hotspot is Turkey Beach ,where i'd go as far as saying that i have came across more taipans than eastern browns.there is a small mountain range there and even though we have found them on both sides of it ,they are more common on the coastal side.heres a couple photos of yarwin roadkill tais.i have some photos of turkey beach tais as well but they are under a different format and i cant post them.
cheers
simon


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## Kupres (Oct 30, 2010)

Sorry Jono,,, I fall into you're category of untrustworthy reports... No pic... We (my wifey & i) used to go for walks down to the the dam from our house... & came across that one on the way down to & nearly at the dam...

Carpets, whips, green & brown tree snakes up at the house... EB's + 1 Tai in the grass & scrub on the way down the hill to the dam... Then plenty of RBBS around the dam edge..


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## Jonno from ERD (Oct 30, 2010)

G'day Simon,

I'm going to be up that way next week for some training. Keen to go for a look? It'll be during the week unfortunately.


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## waruikazi (Oct 30, 2010)

Do you think territory taipans would stick to the same rules Jonno?



Jonno from ERD said:


> A species will only occur in the correct habitat throughout its distribution. A lot of people will see a distribution map and assume that that particular species will occur everywhere within that area, when in actual fact, it will only occur in its preferred habitat.
> 
> Coastal Taipans prefer well drained, grassy slopes and never stray more than a few kilometres from the base of mountains. This is one of the reasons why they are quite common in cane fields - the cane is planted on the flats between mountains.
> 
> I am only making reference to what I consider confirmed sightings - either confirmed with a photograph, museum specimen, or by someone with considerable experience. There are lots of anecdotal reports of Taipans turning up all over the place, but a lot of it is wishful thinking rather more than anything.


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## PimmsPythons (Oct 30, 2010)

Jonno from ERD said:


> G'day Simon,
> 
> I'm going to be up that way next week for some training. Keen to go for a look? It'll be during the week unfortunately.


 
through the week isn't great for me, but might be able to go for a drive one arvo after work and have a look around and point you in the right direction.
cheers
simon


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## kawasakirider (Mar 22, 2011)

Hi, I just thought I'd add to this thread. Firstly I am in NO WAY educated in regards to snakes... I just bought two jungle python hatchlings for my GF and I, but that's about it, lol.

I have just moved to Ipswich from north of Gympie, a place called Glenwood.

People have said there are taipans out there and I believe them, because I *THINK* I have seen two first hand. The first time I saw a taipan, I was letting my dog out of the house onto the grass (she was elderly at the time) and I looked down and saw the snake not too far to my right on the verandah (the house is ground level, it's a concrete verandah).

The snake was about 7 feet long. I moved very quickly to pick up my dog and the snake lunged very quickly lol, I had no shoes on and I was terrified. My grandfather came to the flyscreen door and the snake had a go at the door, too.

It took off never to be seen again. Its head was a different shape to a browns, slightly.

The second instance where I think I saw one, I saw a baby. I didn't realise it was a taipan until now, as I was reading this thread I clicked on a taipan for sale thread at the bottom of the page, and noticed a juvenile taipan that had a lighter coloured head.

Well, one afternoon I was shaping a motocross jump with a mate, and a snake came out of the ground. Only tiny, about a foot and a half long. It had a brown body and an ORANGE head. I just assumed it was a brown because I know Taipans are rare.

Anyway, this snake had the same juvenile markings as the one in the for sale thread, and I've been looking up some pics of baby browns and none have an orange head.

What do you guys think about this? I could be wrong (and I probably am, as I said I have no snake experience), but they are meant to be in the area. Both of these instances happened around 2007. The first one was october 2007 OR 2006, with the large snake. Couldn't tell you the second one. I haven't seen many snakes since. My dogs have killed a baby and I think it's a brown. I still have it in a bottle of metho. It doesn't have an orange head, just a slightly lighter head. They also killed another one but I wasn't there to see it. I saw a brown coloured snake on the road up there within the last few months, but it took off before I got close enough.

Regards,

Trent


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## spotlight (Mar 22, 2011)

the main problem i find is even so called experts mis-identify taipans, so its so hard to take snake removal records as a true indication of locality


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## Jonno from ERD (Mar 22, 2011)

That's very true Spotlight. There's a certain Sunshine Coast snake catcher who likes to drum up stories about how many Coastal Taipans he catches...


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## kawasakirider (Mar 22, 2011)

Yeah no dramas guys, I am in no way experienced, so take what I say with a grain of salt. But if there was a small brown bodied snake, with an orange head, does that point more toward a taipan or a brown snake?


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## Greenmad (Mar 22, 2011)

Jonno from ERD said:


> That's very true Spotlight. There's a certain Sunshine Coast snake catcher who likes to drum up stories about how many Coastal Taipans he catches...


 
jonno you sound a little bitter lol


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