A 62-year-old man has died from a heart attack in front of his devastated partner after being bitten by one of the world's most dangerous snakes.
The victim, who has yet to be identified, died on his property, near the north Queensland city of Townsville, this morning despite attempts by his partner to save him.
Ambulance crews rushed to the Toolakea Beach home at about 8.30am and performed CPR, but the man died at the scene.
Paramedic Michael Grainger told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the man's partner had applied a compression bandage over the bite - which is the accepted practice.
'The snake possibly could have been a brown snake or a Taipan because it actually caused the patient to deteriorate into a cardiac arrest,' said Mr Grainger.
'Despite ambulance resuscitation, we were unsuccessful and the patient unfortunately deteriorated and died on the scene.'
The onset of warmer weather, bringing snakes out of wintry hibernation in Australia, has resulted in increased activity by the reptiles.