Lowland copperhead
Austrelaps superbus
Coppery to dark brown, with pale bars on the lip scales.
Habitat and distribution
Cool, wet country in Victoria, Tasmania and south-east South Australia.
Safety
Out and about in cooler weather than most snakes.
Quick facts
- Venom
- Venomous. Bites are uncommon but can be serious and need hospital assessment.
- Size
- Usually about 1 m, occasionally up to 1.5 m.
- Active
- By day and on warm evenings. Tolerates cold well and may be seen on cool sunny days.
- Diet
- Mainly frogs, plus lizards and small snakes.
Often confused with
- Tiger snake (Notechis scutatus)
- Red-bellied black snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus)
- Eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis)
Common questions
Is the lowland copperhead venomous?
Yes. It is generally placid and avoids people, but its venom is dangerous. Snakes are venomous rather than poisonous. The risk comes from a bite, so any suspected bite should be treated as an emergency and you should call 000.
Where are lowland copperheads found?
In south-eastern Australia, including southern Victoria, south-east South Australia, the islands of Bass Strait and Tasmania, usually near swamps and wet grassland.
Where it is found
Approximate range based on AROD, adapted to our dot grid. Approximate historical reference range; not a habitat or absence assessment. Listed for 3,415 towns and suburbs. Ranges are approximate and do not confirm occurrence at a particular address.
- Capital Region, NSW
- Riverina, NSW
- South Australia - South East, SA
- Hobart, TAS
- Launceston and North East, TAS
- Other TAS localities, TAS
- South East, TAS
- West and North West, TAS
- Ballarat, VIC
- Bendigo, VIC
- Geelong, VIC
- Hume, VIC
- Latrobe - Gippsland, VIC
- Melbourne - Inner, VIC
- Melbourne - Inner East, VIC
- Melbourne - Inner South, VIC
- Melbourne - North East, VIC
- Melbourne - North West, VIC
- Melbourne - Outer East, VIC
- Melbourne - South East, VIC
- Melbourne - West, VIC
- Mornington Peninsula, VIC
- North West, VIC
- Other VIC localities, VIC
- Warrnambool and South West, VIC
Call 1800 4 SNAKE (1800 476 253)
If someone has been bitten, call 000. Never approach or handle a snake to identify it.