They are big, but they're not scary. In fact, I think they're rather cute. They are also not aggressive and even if they did happen to bite you, it would be irritating rather than fatal. I don't mind spiders - usually try to rescue them if they end up in the house.
I'm less keen on snakes and we do get two venomous types here (tiger snake and dugite) but if they see you first, they'll disappear quickly. It's only when you corner them or come across them accidentally (like John's Mum did when she trod on one) that they become a problem.
