RESIDENTS across the Mallee are being urged to take care this summer as snake season is well and truly underway.

This comes as Woorinen boy Harry Rohde, 8, had a close encounter with a snake in his own backyard.

The boy had what could have been a fatal interaction with an eastern brown snake on January 3.

Playing in his backyard with his father Ross, Harry had a snake lunge at him.

"I was foll...