A big black spider bite is an emergency
Call 000 straight away for a bite from any big black spider, and don't wait for symptoms. Lie the person down and keep them still. Our Sydney spider page has the full funnel-web first aid, including the bandage. Never try to catch or handle the spider.
What's different around Panania
The river's edge
A 1994 national park plan describes an area bounded by Henry Lawson Drive and the urban developments of Revesby, Panania and Picnic Point. That's how close the suburb and the Georges River bush sit.
Wandering males
Male Sydney funnel-webs wander mostly over summer and autumn to find females, the Australian Museum says. They often fall into suburban swimming pools and sometimes get trapped in houses.
Mosquitoes at Picnic Point
NSW Health lists a trap site at Picnic Point, in the same council catchment as Panania, where Gan Gan virus turned up in trapped mosquitoes in February and March 2025. That's surveillance, not a human case, so check NSW Health for current advice.
Wasp nests are private
Canterbury-Bankstown Council leaves a nest on private property to the owner, occupier or tenant, and doesn't recommend doing it yourself.
Funnel-web season at home: what's yours to do?
You can
- Look in the pool and skimmer box before anyone swims in summer and autumn.
- Shake out shoes and towels left outside or in the garage.
- Wear gloves and closed shoes for gardening and shifting pots.
- Fit draught strips to outside doors, and seal gaps where you can.
- Keep children and pets well away from any big black spider.
Leave to a pest business
- Treating a garage, subfloor or yard where big spiders keep appearing.
- Treating a wasp nest on your property.
- A termite inspection, which is worth having on a regular schedule.
Is a spider treatment worth it?
It depends what you're seeing. One huntsman on the wall isn't worth paying for, and most spiders do you a favour by eating other insects. Repeat sightings of big black spiders are a different matter, and worth a technician's visit.
Before any treatment, tell the technician about kids, pets, allergies, fish tanks and veggie gardens so they can plan it and tell you any precautions. Get the expected results and any warranty terms in writing.
Our take on pests in Panania
If you've got a pool, make checking it a summer habit. If big black spiders keep showing up, or there's a wasp nest near a door, pick it on this page and add your postcode. A single spider, moved on by itself, needs nothing more than your attention.
Want someone to look at it?
Tell us what you've seen and your postcode, and a local pest business that handles exactly that calls you to talk it through.
