A dashing fellow!

[Airspeed]

Couldn't get a better shot, because the dunny bowl was in the way.
This is a huntsman spider, known to walk slowly at times, but move VERY quickly when they want to.
They don't use webs, they run and pounce.
I put him out the window just after this; I don't put the light on when I get up for a wee in the night, and I didn't fancy a surprise hug in the dark.

That's my fingers & thumb for a sense of scale BTW.

[Garry Russell]

Ah yes..does it bite

Reminds me of the Hunting spiders when we we growing up...can get very big and live 40+ years

Spiders and other creepy crawlies, just another reason why I don't like anywhere in a warm/hot climate

[Airspeed]

Hi Garry
They're not aggressive to humans, but would probably make a defensive bite. Their size and speed is what can take you by surprise.
I've had a number of spider bites over the years, in fact I still have a mark on my leg from one a couple of weeks back. (It wasn't a huntsman, though.)
Redbacks are from the black widow family, I think. Best to give them some space in the garden.
White tails, now they deliver some nasty bacteria, which can lead to ulcers and worse. If I find them in the house, they don't get gently shown the door, I cancel their next sunrise without hesitation.

[FlyTexas]

A spider that doesn't produce a web? You definitely have some strange critters down under, Mike.

Brian

[Garry Russell]

Not just there

As I mentioned the UK has hunting spiders.

They don't have a web...they carry little bows and arrows or sometimes miniture spears.

Seriously though ...that's what hunting spider means..it hunts rather than trap.

[Garry Russell]

There you go

After a quick web search

http://hubpages.com/hub/Spiders-That-Dont-Make-Webs

Most spiders don't spin webs. I guess the reason we think they all di is that the ones that do are obvious and the others are hidden.