Darwin, the tropical capital of Australia’s Northern Territory, is home to a rich diversity of wildlife - including an impressive array of spiders. From the sprawling webs of golden orb-weavers to the cryptic camouflage of trapdoor spiders, these arachnids play a vital role in the local ecosystem. While some may inspire fear, the majority are harmless and even beneficial, helping to control insect populations.

Golden Orb Weaver

Description

Garden orb weaving spiders tend to be stout and reddish-brown or grey in colour, and they have a leaf-shaped pattern on their abdomen. As there are roughly 100 known species of Garden orb weaving spiders originating from Australia, this pattern may vary from one spider to the next. The abdomen itself is often triangular and has two noticeable humps towards the front.

Adults are roughly 15 to 30 mm in body length. Female spiders are typically larger than their male counterparts and have a body length of 20 to 25 mm; males, meanwhile, are generally 15 to 17 mm long.

Habitat

Preferring to live in gardens, orchards and rainforests, Golden Orb Weavers build enormous circular webs to ensnare flying insects.

Is it dangerous?

Though their bites do contain venom, Garden orb weaving spiders are quite harmless to humans. They are generally very shy and have a nonaggressive nature, and so only tend to bite when provoked. Likewise, their venom has no impact on people, save for some mild pain and swelling around the bite site. Some people may also experience nausea after being bitten by a Garden orb weaving spider.

Huntsman Spider

Description

Huntsman spiders typically have a brown colouring, sometimes with undertones of yellow, pink, or grey. Heteropoda sp. Is the most common species in the Darwin area, and is mottled brown with bright bands on the underside of the leg joints.

Habitat

They often prefer vertical surfaces, using their flattened body to hide in crevices and under bark. They can be very large with their legs spread out, and move quite fast.

Is it dangerous?

Despite their fearsome appearance, Huntsman spiders are largely harmless to humans, and they will not bite unless provoked. Huntsman spider bites typically only result in localised pain and swelling that can be treated with a cold compress. In saying that, one species, Neosparassus diana, ‘the Badge Huntsman’, is known to inflict a bite that can cause severe localised pain and swelling, alongside sweating, nausea, and vomiting.

Redback Spider

Description

Redback spiders have a spherical abdomen, with black legs and cephalothorax. Females usually have a red stripe on the top of the abdomen and a red hourglass shaped mark on the underside.

Habitat

Redback spiders are found Australia-wide (just like our training!), but are more abundant in drier areas. They typically like undisturbed areas of buildings, such as corners of verandas and in wall crevices, or in car bodies, under timber, or around other items that have been left undisturbed for a long time. They form strong, loosely structured sticky webs for catching their prey.

Is it dangerous?

Female redback spiders rarely bite unless they are handled. Their bites are painful and must be treated as potentially dangerous. The male spider is not considered dangerous. No deaths due to redback spider bites have been recorded since the introduction of antivenom in 1956.

Brown Widow Spider

Description

As an introduced species, it can be difficult to distinguish these spiders from others. They are particularly similar in appearance to red back spiders – usually brown, grey or dark brown with markings on the abdomen - but with no red stripe on the upper abdomen.

Habitat

These introduced spiders are found in and around human structures. They prefer homes, garages, vehicles, and garden sheds, where they build large messy webs.

Is it dangerous?

No, brown widow spiders are not considered dangerous. Their bites can be painful, but the effects are usually confined to the local area around the bite site.

Northern Mouse Spiders

Description

Northern Mouse Spiders are brown to black in colour, with shiny legs and cephalothorax. Males have a distinctive bluish-white patch on the top of their abdomen, and are a little smaller than 2cm in body length. Females lack this coloured mark, and are slightly larger at about 3cm in body length. They are often mistaken for Funnel-web spiders due to their similarities in colour, size, and hunting habits.

Habitat

Females are only seen outside their burrow after flooding or if the burrow is disturbed, for example through gardening. Males are often seen wandering around in search of females, particularly between August and December.

Is it dangerous?

A bite from a northern mouse spider can be very painful, inducing headaches, abdominal pain, sweating, and nausea. There have been no recorded deaths from a northern mouse spider.

Barking Spiders (or Bird Eating Spiders)

Description

Barking spiders include some of the largest body-sized spiders in Australia, hence the nickname of ‘bird eating spiders’. They are brown to dark brown, with a furry appearance.

Their preferred prey includes insects, lizards, geckos, other spiders, and small birds.

Habitat

Most recent specimen collections indicate that these spiders are more commonly found in Palmerston and rural areas, rather than in Darwin suburbs. Barking spiders live in burrows during the day, and emerge at night to capture prey.

Is it dangerous?

Barking spiders are generally not aggressive, however they may bite if provoked. Their venom in not dangerous to humans but may cause mild to severe pain around the bite site.

Final Thoughts

Coming across any spider can be a harrowing experience, particularly if you are unsure whether they are venomous to humans or not. In terms of the spiders in Darwin, most will not cause you great harm even if you are bitten.

First Aid for Darwin's Wildlife Hazards

Darwin’s stunning natural surroundings come with inherent risks, from venomous snakes and marine stingers to unpredictable weather events like cyclones. First aid training ensures residents and visitors know how to respond to bites, stings, and other medical emergencies while awaiting professional help. Whether you’re fishing off the coast, exploring national parks, or simply enjoying the outdoors, first aid skills provide the confidence to handle unexpected situations safely.