By Kiera Howard 
The Lovisa Sjoberg snakebite rescue has emerged as one of Australia’s most extraordinary survival stories after the 48-year-old photographer was found alive in the Snowy Mountains, having survived four days with potentially lethal copperhead venom coursing through her body.
When National Parks officer spotted movement on a remote trail in October 2024, they discovered what seemed impossible: Sjoberg was still walking after 12 days lost in Kosciuszko National Park, including four days since being bitten by one of Australia’s most venomous snakes.
The Swedish-born photographer had vanished in October 2024 while documenting wild horses, triggering one of the largest search operations the region had seen in years. Her survival has left medical experts stunned and wilderness safety advocates calling for better preparedness among solo adventurers.
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The Photographer Who Knew These Mountains
Lovisa “Kiki” Sjoberg was no weekend warrior taking selfies in the snow. For five years, she’d been tracking and photographing brumby mobs across the high country, building a devoted following on her Instagram page “Brumby Strong.”
She’d moved from Sydney to the Snowy Mountains in 2018, trading city life for the rugged beauty of alpine Australia. Her work had earned recognition during the devastating 2019-2020 bushfires, with her photographs featured in exhibitions and earning a nomination for the prestigious Prix de Pictet.
“This isn’t someone who has just wandered into the park with no idea about it at all,” fellow photographer Ian Brown told reporters during the search. “I think she knows the park better than I do.”
That expertise made her disappearance all the more troubling.
Six Days of Silence
The last confirmed sighting of Sjoberg came at 7 AM on October 15, 2024, when she was spotted driving her grey Mitsubishi Outlander through Kosciuszko National Park. She was presumably heading out for another photography session, chasing the wild horses that had become her passion.
Six days later, it wasn’t family or friends who raised the alarm – it was the rental car company. Their GPS tracking showed the vehicle hadn’t moved since October 15. In an unusual move that would prove crucial, they contacted authorities.
Police found the car at Kiandra, a ghost town from the gold rush era that sits 1400 metres above sea level. The doors were unlocked, keys still in the ignition, with no personal belongings visible – details that immediately suggested something had gone very wrong.
“For it to then be left stationary for six days doesn’t appear to be regular,” Monaro Police District Acting Inspector Andrew Woods noted, particularly given Sjoberg’s 80-day rental history showing constant use.
“Looking for a Pinhead in a Haystack”
What followed was a masterclass in emergency coordination. NSW Police, as the state’s combat agency for search and rescue, launched a multi-agency operation from a command post at the historic Kiandra Courthouse.
More than 30 personnel searched daily across seven days, representing:
- NSW Police Mounted Unit and Dog Squad
- National Parks and Wildlife Service officers with intimate knowledge of the terrain
- State Emergency Service volunteers
- Rural Fire Service teams with helicopter support
- Local horse riders who knew the bush tracks
- Surf Life Saving helicopter crews
The search conditions were brutal. October in the Snowies brought freezing nights touching 0°C, with 44mm of rain drenching the mountains. On October 19 alone, 34.4mm fell in a single night, turning tracks into torrents and making the helicopter’s infrared cameras struggle through the dense, wet canopy.
One searcher described the challenge as “looking for a pinhead in a haystack” – except this haystack covered thousands of hectares of boulder fields, dense snow gums, and steep ravines.
Four Days With Death in Her Veins
At 4:50 PM on October 27, a sharp-eyed National Parks officer noticed movement on the Nungar Creek Trail. It was Sjoberg – somehow still mobile after nearly two weeks in the wilderness.
But her first words to rescuers revealed the true miracle of her survival: she believed a copperhead snake had bitten her around October 23. She’d been walking, surviving, fighting through the Australian Alps with untreated snake venom for four days.
Highland Copperheads aren’t Australia’s deadliest snakes, but they don’t need to be. Their venom packs a cocktail designed to kill:
- Neurotoxins that shut down the nervous system
- Myotoxins that destroy muscle tissue
- Coagulants that cause internal bleeding
NSW Health protocols are unequivocal: copperhead bites require immediate medical intervention. In the Snowy Mountains region, standard treatment involves both brown and tiger snake antivenoms administered as quickly as possible.
Sjoberg had none of that. Just her own body fighting a battle most people lose within hours.
“Very Fortunate to Be Alive”
NSW Ambulance paramedics found her in a state that defied medical explanation. Beyond the snakebite, she was battling:
- A rolled ankle that had hobbled her movement
- Severe dehydration from days without adequate water
- Hypothermia exposure from freezing rain and near-zero nights
Yet she was conscious, talking, and had somehow kept moving.
“She’s very fortunate to be alive,” Monaro Police District Superintendent Toby Lindsay said after her rescue. “She obviously went through a tough time.”
At Cooma District Hospital, doctors stabilised her condition, though specific medical details remain private. Her case has become a landmark in Australian snake bite survival, with toxicology experts studying how anyone could survive that long with copperhead venom untreated.
The Safety Debate Erupts
As news of Sjoberg’s rescue spread, social media lit up with a familiar debate about wilderness responsibility. Comments sections became battlegrounds between those praising her resilience and others questioning her preparation.
“A search and rescue operation which would not have been required had Ms Sjoberg followed simple safety protocols!” one commenter wrote, echoing frustrations about the resources deployed.
The criticism centres on several factors:
- No Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) despite park recommendations
- Solo travel without a check-in system
- No apparent first aid for the snakebite
Yet others defended her, noting that even experienced bushwalkers can face catastrophic equipment failures or accidents that override the best preparations.
What Should Have Happened
The Australian Red Cross outlines clear snakebite first aid that could have improved Sjoberg’s chances:
- Stay completely still (movement pumps venom through lymphatic system)
- Apply firm pressure bandaging over the bite site
- Bandage the entire limb like a sprain
- Splint to prevent any movement
- Activate emergency beacon immediately
Every bushwalker should know this process by heart. In Sjoberg’s case, with a rolled ankle already limiting mobility, applying proper first aid would have been challenging but potentially life-saving.
The Hidden Heroes
While Sjoberg’s survival captured headlines, the rescue operation showcased Australian emergency services at their finest. The coordination between agencies – from police commanders to volunteer horse riders – demonstrated years of refined protocols in action.
Special recognition goes to the rental car company whose GPS monitoring system triggered the entire rescue. Without their alert, the search might have started days later – likely too late.
The operation, while successful, came at significant cost. Multi-day searches involving helicopters, dozens of personnel, and specialist equipment can exceed $200,000. Australian policy doesn’t charge rescued individuals, but each operation strains emergency service budgets.
Lessons from the Edge
Kosciuszko National Park spans 6,900 square kilometres of spectacular but unforgiving terrain. Recent incidents underscore its dangers:
- December 2024: Bushwalker Hadi Nazar survived 14 days on berries and creek water
- Regular beacon activations from lost hikers
- Annual snakebite incidents during warmer months
Park authorities now strongly recommend all extended-trip visitors:
- Carry PLBs (available for hire at visitor centres)
- File detailed trip intentions
- Share exact routes with trusted contacts
- Monitor weather obsessively
- Know first aid for local hazards
The technology exists to prevent these near-tragedies. Whether people use it remains a personal choice – one that can mean the difference between a scary story and a funeral.
Beyond the Headlines
Sjoberg’s ordeal joins a growing list of survival stories that highlight both human resilience and the thin line between adventure and catastrophe in Australia’s wilderness.
For more on unexpected wildlife encounters affecting Australians, read our investigation into Aesculapian snakes establishing wild populations in the UK.
Key Questions Answered
How did Sjoberg survive four days with snake venom?
Medical experts remain puzzled. Possibilities include a “dry bite” with minimal venom, natural resistance, or the snake delivering less than a full dose. Typically, untreated copperhead bites prove fatal within hours.
What triggered the massive search?
The rental car company’s GPS showed the vehicle stationary for six days. Their unusual step of alerting authorities proved crucial – family and friends hadn’t yet reported her missing due to her known habit of going “off-grid.”
Do rescued people pay for search operations?
No. Australia doesn’t charge for search and rescue, though operations like Sjoberg’s can cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
How common are copperheads in the Snowies?
Highland Copperheads thrive in alpine regions. They’re not aggressive but will defend themselves when threatened. Most bites occur when people accidentally step near them.
What’s the one piece of gear that could have prevented this?
A Personal Locator Beacon. One button press would have brought help within hours instead of days. They’re available for hire at park visitor centres.
Why was she still walking after a snake bite?
This remains the medical mystery. Most victims experience rapid paralysis and respiratory failure. Sjoberg’s ability to keep moving for days defies conventional understanding of copperhead envenomation.
The Final Word
The Lovisa Sjoberg snakebite rescue serves as both an inspiration and a warning. Her survival against overwhelming odds showcases human resilience, while the circumstances leading to her ordeal highlight preventable risks that nearly cost a life.