A Sunshine Coast driver and his passengers experienced a heart-stopping encounter when one of Australia's most venomous snakes unexpectedly hitched a ride on their moving vehicle, clinging to the bonnet for kilometres before mysteriously disappearing into the engine compartment.
Highway Encounter with Deadly Passenger
Mark Emsden was returning to the Sunshine Coast from the Caboolture rodeo when he spotted the unexpected passenger on his car bonnet while travelling at 110km/h along the Bruce Highway. The red-bellied black snake, measuring approximately two metres in length, crawled along the bonnet and positioned itself directly at the windscreen, giving the occupants an uncomfortably close view of Australia's wildlife.
"It was a fantastic night but this was definitely unexpected on the way home," Emsden told 7NEWS.com.au. "It crawled along the bonnet and greeted us at the windscreen."
Shock and Amazement at Close Quarters
The driver described how the snake stretched the entire length of the vehicle's bonnet, with its head pressed against the windscreen while its tail remained wrapped around the bull bar. Despite the alarming situation, Emsden noted the creature's striking appearance, particularly the vibrant red colouration on its underside.
"We were in shock, but it was amazing to see the vibrant red on its belly," he recalled. "It was the entire length of the bonnet. Even though its head was at the windscreen, its tail was still wrapped over the bull bar."
Careful Efforts to Protect the Snake
Concerned for the reptile's safety, Emsden deliberately reduced his speed to approximately 40km/h for five to ten kilometres, hoping the snake would dislodge itself safely from the vehicle. The determined passenger remained aboard for about five kilometres before the driver could find a suitable place to pull over.
"We were doing about 40km/h for a good 5km to 10km, trying to help it get off the car safely," Emsden explained. "It stayed on board for about 5km until we could pull over."
Mysterious Disappearance Creates Lingering Concern
When the group finally stopped at a McDonald's restaurant, they were astonished to discover the snake had vanished completely. Despite thorough searching, they couldn't locate the two-metre reptile anywhere on or around the vehicle.
"By the time we stopped at McDonald's, we couldn't locate it," Emsden said. "I'm fairly sure it went down into the engine bay somewhere. There's obviously quite a few little nooks and crannies for it to have got into, but we couldn't believe such a big snake just disappeared."
The experience left the group so concerned that they opted not to park the car in their garage overnight, instead leaving it on the street as a precautionary measure. They conducted another inspection the following day to ensure the snake wasn't hiding somewhere within the vehicle.
Mixed Reactions to Unusual Wildlife Encounter
Emsden described the encounter as both frightening and fascinating, creating a memorable experience for everyone involved, particularly for passengers who were new to the Sunshine Coast region.
"We couldn't believe what we were seeing. It was funny but also a little nerve-wracking," he admitted. "We definitely didn't want to hurt the snake. We just wanted it to get back to its environment safely. They're new to the Sunshine Coast, so seeing a snake like this was a real eye-opener."
Understanding Red-Bellied Black Snakes
Red-bellied black snakes are among Australia's most recognisable venomous reptiles, typically found throughout eastern Australia from Queensland to Victoria. They commonly inhabit areas near water sources such as rivers, creeks, and wetlands, though this incident demonstrates their occasional presence in unexpected locations.
Not the First Snake to Hitch a Ride
This unusual incident follows another recent case where a coastal carpet python from Queensland was discovered in a vehicle on the NSW Central Coast, more than 1,000 kilometres from its natural habitat. Such occurrences highlight how snakes occasionally use vehicles as temporary transport, sometimes travelling considerable distances from their original locations.
The experience serves as a reminder for Australian drivers, particularly those in regional areas, to remain vigilant for unexpected wildlife encounters, even when travelling at highway speeds. While frightening, these incidents also demonstrate the remarkable adaptability of Australia's native reptiles in navigating human-altered environments.
