Cedric Suifua, 22, of Auckland, was hiding lollies for a children's treasure hunt in a park across from Gold Coast's Main Beach on Christmas Day about 12.45pm when he was bitten by an eastern brown snake.

Initially mistaking the sting on his toes of his left foot for a bull ant bite, Mr Suifua continued to play baseball for about 45 minutes before having heart palpitations.

"I had just sat down and told my wife about my heart and 10 seconds later I saw bright lights and then passed out and fell back on to her," he said.

"They need signs at the parks to let people know that snakes are potentially out there and what to do if someone is bitten, even if it's the smallest bite."

An off-duty nurse came to Mr Suifua's aid and bandaged his leg until an ambulance arrived.

He was taken to the Gold Coast Hospital where he was given 12 vials of anti-venom by yesterday afternoon.

He said he had been bitten by a bull ant minutes earlier and had assumed another ant had stung him.