A mother who was bitten on her face by a brown snake says her sunglasses may have saved her life.
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Angela Jacobsen was reading a book in her pool, which backs onto a golf club, on February 6.
Ms Jacobsen from Rutherglen in Victoria believes the snake - considered the third most deadly breed in the world - was startled when she screamed.
The reptile may have also thought its reflection was another snake before striking.
She said adrenaline kicked in after the incident and she was taken to Wangaratta hospital.
Ms Jacobsen said medical staff thought it was a dry bite, but its location meant a compression bandage couldn't be applied.
"There is venom on the glasses," she said.
"So the fang must have hit the bottom of the glasses and only the teeth hit my face.
"The glasses have pretty much saved my life."
Ms Jacobsen had to spend four hours lying still at hospital, staring at dots on the ceiling, to prevent any possible venom from spreading.
She has since returned home.
"The doctors at hospital said it's super rare for anyone to be bitten on the face," she said.
"It's also rare that people need antivenom, the majority are dry bites.
"I've never liked snakes, and now I know I definitely don't like them.
"I know it was just being inquisitive and the way I reacted caused it to retaliate.
"I think we both got the same shock and screaming in its face didn't help."
Ms Jacobsen said she'd never seen a snake at the property.
She believes it had entered her property from the golf course.
"I guess it shows the need to be vigilant," she said.
"This was a freak accident."
Ms Jacobsen urged people to have a snake compression set as part of their first aid kit.
She doesn't want to let the incident get to her.
"My first priority when I got home was to make sure the snake was gone," she said.
"I just want to carry on like normal now.
"I can't be in fear in my own garden."
