Before I arrived in Australia I felt slightly anxious- it seemed like such a DANGEROUS place! Crocodiles, sharks, spiders an snakes- did you know that even platypi have poisonous stingers? Basically I’m amazed that anyone in Australia lives to adulthood.
However, I fly out on Sunday so it appears I have successfully survived my two months in Australia (knock on wood). It hasn’t been nearly as treacherous as I imagined- I only saw one snake and I think he was more afraid of me than I was of him anyways.
I have however developed a weird fascination with the warning signs I find plastered all over the beaches and parks of Australia. They all seem to feature the same little man getting brutally maimed by Australia’s many dangers.
Dramatic much? I guess it get’s the point across at least. I’ve spotted this unfortunate little man getting maimed, drowned and crushed all across the country. Guy can’t catch a break, he’s almost bordering on slapstick. Here’s a compilation of my favorites:
And MY favorite:
Based on these signs it seems like the biggest dangers in Australia are falling down or being tackled by trees! Thank goodness for the signs, or who knows what kind of danger we might be in.
*I’m currently traveling around Australia in a Chubby Camper Van with the generous help ofTravellers Auto Barn.
Haha I guess when you live here you don’t even notice it. We’re all about safety over here 🙂
Oh my god, I thought I was the only one who was facinated by all the crazy ‘you might die’ signs in Oz! One of my favorite says “WILDLIFE” and has what appears to be an image of a kangaroo picking up a car. I have quite a collection from Germany and New Zealand, as well. Comedy gold.
Geez, the poor little guy can’t catch a break from those Aussie trees!
I’ve grown up in Aus and never seen a poisonous, flesh ripping animal unless it was in a zoo. I have a feeling tourists have been watching to much Steve Irwin before they come downunder.
My only real piece of advice is to make sure you have hiking boots or at least sneakers on when walking in grassland to avoid snakes; and just be smart in the water – swim between the red and yellow lifeguard flags and don’t go out to deep.
Yeah, I bet rip currents are really much more of a danger than sharks.
Hilarious signs. I’m completely sending this to a good friend of mine who’s moving to Australian in a week. She’ll love it.
I think the difference is that in many countries, they don’t warn you and you think everything is alright. Of course, sitting under all coconut trees won’t guarantee a fruit falling down at the same moment, etc. So, you escape and think it’s safe.
In some other countries, where signs are not there, you find a sign to another road after the junction and even on an overpass. Believe me! I’ve seen them and keep seeing them …
Rahman Mehraby
Destination Iran Travel & Tours
Yeah, I come from the US- the land of “Caution, Coffee is Hot!” labels, so I was amused to find australia even more cautious!
Omgod, these signs are amazing. At least the Australians “get to the point” with the dangers. Don’t think I’ve ever seen any of these type of signs in the US.
That poor little guy! Love those signs – so glad you found them funny! We’re Aussies but have lived in the MidEast for many years and every time we return to Oz to work on a book or something, we’re kind of astonished at the signs (the humour/horror of the images, as much as the abundance of them) – oh, and the rules for everything – goes against all our memories of ‘laidback Australia’. Hey, but at least they kept you alive, right?! 😉
Yeah they are almost as bad as england for the babysitting type warning signs and rules.
OMG, these signs are hilarious!