Yeah, they have that effect.

I have a complete fear of spiders as well, I was thesame as you before we came here, now I do roof maintenance for a job and I think I picked the wrong job with my phobia, the amount of spiders and insects that run about in the gutters and roofs is unreal.
I have seen spiders that I have asked aussies about and they tell me I am talking shite and they dont exist. there is a particularly freaky looking one that is grey and looks like an alien from another worlld and it appears to have suckers for feet.

check out this website, not just redbacks and the likes you have to worry about.

http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/australian/Spidaus.html

Hi is this the 1 you mean

the dooners

Yep, that's him...!

Thanks for that - forwarded back to a couple of mates in the UK...

In the 7 months we were traveling we only saw 1 spider, a huntsman, and 1 snake, a red bellied black. A mate of ours did get bitten by a white tail whilst sleeping on night though, just puffed up his arm and made his vains go blue for a bit

where did it happen? city/countryside?

Cant remember the name of the place but it was a small town/village a few hours north east of Melbourn

I think it depends on where you live. If you live in a house surrounded by bushland there is likely to be more spiders and other creepy crawlies. If you garden is neat and tidy with no trees and bushes close to the house than you should be okay.

The only spiders we see in the house generally are daddy long legs which we just leave alone. They just sit in the same spot for weeks on end and don't move.

If you really are worried about spiders in the house you can get the house sprayed by a pest controller.

I have only seen one snake about 30 years ago and maybe one red back spider.

My friend from the U.K. would scream and squeal everytime any insect flew near her when she first came here including flies, moths, butterflies, ants - well anything. Now she doesn't scream anymore - well not much anyway.

My uncle works on the roads, all over from sydney to cambera, and has only seen 1 snake and a handfull of funnel webs in nearly 30 years, working in towns and cities. Ironicaly my mate who got bitten spent a years out there and nerver saw any spiders or snakes