been killed already. I saw three girls (half castes) bring
in three snakes, and two of the three reptiles measured
5ft 1in each.’ This correspondent then went on to tally
the total number of snakes killed on the island by
interviewing the various families involved, and arrived at
an incomplete figure of 350. It was a series of snake bite
fatalities through the 1930s and a growing recognition
that the risks were too high, as well as increasing
government regulation over the industry, which
eventually resulted in the cessation of mutton birding on
Chappell Island, but only after a concerted attempt to
wipe the snakes out.
antivenom had become available in Tasmania.
After six serious bites to mutton birders in 1932 a plea
was made to the Chief Secretary of the government to
supply stocks of antivenom to birding sheds on the
various islands. 19-22 The Director General of Health,
while sympathetic, pointed out that it was not possible
due to cost, the need for the serum to be administered by
medical professionals, and uncertainty as to whether the
antivenom developed for mainland Tiger Snake bites
would be effective in standard doses for the very much
larger island snakes. Three more bites, including one
M utton birding eventually ceased on C happell I sland,
but only after a concerted attempt to wipe the snakes out.
In April 1931 the Mercury 16,17 reported on the death of
Morton Maynard, who was bitten on the hand while
pulling a Mutton Bird chick from its burrow and died six
hours later after being evacuated by boat to medical care
on Flinders Island. Maynard was possibly doubly
unlucky, as it was only months later that the Examiner 18
reported that the newly-developed Tiger Snake
fatality, in 1938 once again had Chappell Island in the
news. 23 Pressure was mounting on the government and in
the following year it was announced that bush nurses
would be sent to the islands during the birding season
and a bounty introduced to rid Chappell Island of its
snakes. 24-27 After touring the birding islands, the Minister
for Lands and Works, Major T. H. Davies, stated that he
was ‘better able to understand the rapid multiplication of
the snakes on the island after a talk
with the Crown Lands Bailiff (Senior
Constable C. Berryman)’. Constable
Berryman told him that a five-foot
snake caught on Chappell Island had
41 young with it. The minutes for the
Tasmanian Fauna Board of 1938 28
refer rather cryptically to Constable
Berryman recommending
‘consideration of certain matters’ by
the Legislation Committee before the
1939 season. In the minutes for
March 7, 1939 the Board was
formally requested to ‘consider
payment for the destruction of snakes
on Chappell Island for the benefit of
the mutton bird industry’. 29
Left: it was a Tiger Snake like this
one that killed young Richard
Hampton at Deloraine in 1867.
Specimen from Cambridge, Hobart.
Photo: Simon Fearn.
Above right: Bruce Munday on
Chappell Island in 1987 shortly
before his near-fatal bite. The
massive head on this mature male
snake gives an indication as to why
bites on the island are invariably
very serious. Photographer
unknown.*
*A number of people were present on the
island and all took photos. This image
was most likely taken by Ian Norton or
Ross Bennett.