General News
11 November, 2022
It’s that time of the year again - stinger nets are in
AS the weather warms up, so do the beautiful beaches in North Queensland; however, with that comes some not-so-pleasant visitors – marine stingers.
Several species of marine stingers are found in the waters of Queensland beaches. These include the ‘box jellyfish’ and the Irukandji, which are classed as dangerous tropical marine stingers.
While marine stingers may be present throughout the entire year in tropical Queensland, the risk associated with these two types of potentially dangerous jellyfish are higher during the ‘marine stinger season’ that typically runs from November through to May.
Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) advised that from Saturday, November 5, 2022, stinger nets would be operational at Cairns beaches, Port Douglas, Bramston Beach, Etty Bay, Mission beaches, Forest Beach, Townsville beaches and Magnetic Island.
During these warmer months, it is particularly important to swim only at a patrolled beach under the guidance and supervision of lifesavers and lifeguards and always to wear a full-body stinger suit when entering the ocean.
The swimming enclosures provide some protection from various marine stingers but not all, especially the Irukandji. When swimming inside marine stinger enclosures, it is important not to play on or around the net as there is potential for exposing yourself to harmful marine stingers that may be around the nets.
SLSQ Regional Manager for North Queensland, Jen Rees, encouraged all beachgoers to be vigilant when enjoying the beach this summer.
“We have enjoyed the ocean throughout the beautiful tropical winter in North Queensland, but as summer kicks in with hot weather, tropical rainfall, warmer waters and Northerly onshore winds, we are now entering our marine stinger season,” Ms Rees said.
“It is vital for beachgoers to check the conditions and speak with the lifesavers and lifeguards before entering the water.
“When the red and yellow flags are up, the lifeguards and lifesavers have completed the marine stinger drags and deemed the beach open.
“SLSQ wants to remind all swimmers about the importance of wearing full-body stinger suits this season as they are essential to prevent life-threatening marine stings.
“The BeachSafe App is a great way to check which beaches are open during these warmer months. You can easily download the app on your phone and check the conditions before leaving home,” she said.
More information about the app is available at https://beachsafe.org.au/apps
