'It feels like you've defused a bomb': milking Australia's deadliest snakes

The centre, which opened on Thursday, will give park visitors insight into the venom collection process.

It includes interactive exhibits and describes the history of Australia's venomous snakes.

The park produces venom from five snake species - eastern brown, tiger, death adder, king brown and taipan - and keeps about 20 to 50 of each snake.

Park director Tim Faulkner said the new exhibit was "aptly named the Weigel Venom Centre" in honour of park co-owners John and Robyn Weigel.

Mr Weigel was the "snakeman" and Mrs Weigel the "spiderwoman". That is, he milked the snakes and she milked the funnel-web spiders.

Mr Weigel said the new centre's "wink to the Weigel name is appreciated", but it could easily carry the names of park co-owners Liz Gabriel and Mr Faulkner.

The NSW government gave $300,000 for the centre.

Wyong MP David Harris won over the crowd, saying it was "taxpayers' money" put to good use.

"There's no greater pursuit than saving lives, but there's no chance I will pat or hold a snake," Mr Harris said.

"Tim told me milking a snake is a bit like crossing the highway."

Mr Weigel milked snakes about 30,000 times at the park from 1982 to 2010 "without a serious bite".

"I had little scratches, but no trips to the hospital," he said.

At the opening, park manager Billy Collett gave the crowd a display of milking a king brown.

"I remember the first time I did it. John Weigel was right there with me," he said.

"When you grab that first snake by the head, it feels like you've defused a bomb."

He was nervous and cautious.

"As time goes on, you still have respect for the animal but it becomes easier," he said.

"You can't milk a snake if you're in a bad mood or feel sick. You need to be 100 per cent on your game.

"There's so much danger involved obviously. It's a calculated risk. We do our absolute best to ensure safety at all times."

Mr Weigel's dream was to work at the reptile park.

"My previous job was alligator wrestler, but I knew I'd be working at the reptile park one day.

"I used to write to [original park owner] Eric Worrell. I didn't hear back, so I rocked up one day.

"I said, 'Hey Eric, I'm your new reptile keeper'."

A positive response wasn't immediate, so he "stuck around hassling management for two weeks".

Eventually they said, "OK kid, you're assistant mammal and bird keeper".

"I did that for a while, then got the job with reptiles."

The park's venom has saved about 20,000 lives since the 1960s.

But when Mr Weigel began working with snakes at the park in 1982, the first thing he noticed was venom production had dwindled.

Since then, the park has sent its venom to CSL to make antivenom.

"Other players were going to emerge in the market or worse [an antivenom shortage]. So I wrote to CSL and asked them to use our snake venom, as well as funnel-web venom," he said.

"We got the contract and there's never been a hiccup."

The federal government funds antivenom, so snakebite victims get it for free in Australia.