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WALL to wall pythons and lizards, at every turn is a reptile bigger than the last - for many, it's the stuff nightmares are made of.
But for more and more people in Bendigo, a growing fascination for Australia's unique reptiles has become a way of life.
After all, man and reptile have co-existed in Australia for up to 40,000 years.
Among them is Epsom resident Chris Page, who owns an impressive collection of more than 40 snakes and 40 lizards.
One room of his house is lined with cabinets, a homage to what people can find when they venture into the outback and, in some cases, not far from Bendigo.
The venomous snakes sit in containers of their own at Chris' place and some are more aggressive than others.
They require skilled handling.
It's easy to become nervous when confronted with the narrowed eyes, flicking tongue and slithery movement of a snake, particularly when you spend your entire life hoping you never encounter one.
Chris is among the reptile enthusiasts hoping to drive a change in this attitude towards snakes and lizards.
"It's one of those things that you were brought up being told that snakes are dangerous," he said.
"You never get taught that pythons are a nice creature to play around with, that they can be a great pet.
"But the venomous snakes, you're just taught to stay away. You get that fear in you that you see a snake, you've got to kill it."
It's these venomous snakes that often give the others a bad rap.
The eastern brown is responsible for 60 per cent of deaths from snake bites in Australia.
Despite this, there were just a handful of recorded deaths from a snake bite in the entire country in 2014, including one at Mount Alexander, and on in Western Australia.
There was also just one in 2013, when a Darwin man mistook a western brown snake for a python. He picked it up and threw it into the bushes, copping a bite for his troubles.
Thinking he could brush it off, the man went on a two-kilometre run and collapsed soon after.
On average, there are between three and 18 bites per 100,000 people in Australia per year. Improvements to anti-venom have kept mortality rates low.
Chris said with this in mind, it should become less common for people to try and attack snakes when they see them on their properties.
"If you can walk around and get a shovel, you could also grab your phone and call a snake catcher," he said.
"They are actually protected species, there is a fine for injuring them.
"There has been a little bit of a change where people are now calling snake catchers and doing the right thing.
"The best thing to do is to call a snake catcher and get them relocated."
If you see a snake in your house, then there's likely to be a reason why it's there.
They follow small rodents and are attracted to heat. A regular source of food, water and shelter is all that's needed for a snake to make itself at home.
On the farm, piles of logs and secluded corners of sheds where they can bury themselves under disused machinery is like a hotel for snakes.
But it's not just snakes near Bendigo that can make people jump.
Chris also owns a one-metre long lace monitor, a member of the goanna family.
They can be found near Bendigo.
Their main defence mechanism is to puff up when threatened and their sharp teeth can send a shiver down the spine.
But Chris reassures us that there's nothing to be seriously afraid of.
"I've seen a couple run across the road," he said.
"They look dangerous, they can be dangerous in the wild. They do have quite sharp teeth and their claws are really sharp.
"They will show their defence by puffing up and letting out a lot of air to try and scare you away.
"They are really friendly animals though. I can pat mine and he will sit on your shoulder, and not run away."
Like a number of reptile collectors, he wants to share his passion for snakes with the wider community and aims to launch an educational display.
As Bendigo continues to expand in every direction, residents will likely come in even closer contact with the creatures who call the surrounding districts home.
While they aren't all as friendly as Chris' albino Darwin carpet python, they are as much a part of the landscape as the rivers, the red gums and the cockatoos.
If you see snake on your property, you can contact Chris on 0423 627 145.