How can you protect yourself from magpies swooping? Stay more than 110 metres from a nest if you're on foot; or 150 metres away if you're on a bike. Find out where magpie breeding areas are and wear a hat or sunglasses or hold something above your head like an umbrella. If cycling, get off your bike and walk or 'spike' your helmet with cable ties or draw large eyes on the back of your helmet. Do not approach baby magpies. Statistically only 3 per cent of the entire population of magpies exhibit swooping with contact as a defensive behaviour.
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Be on the look out for our slippery friends this time of year too. Snakes can end up anywhere. If they have a warm, nice, secure spot to hide, they’ll hide in there. And especially in houses — snakes end up in houses because people leave doors open or windows open, so make sure you close your windows and screens and doors and the animal won’t come in. If bitten the best thing you can do is place a compression on the wound and call triple-0
