Sell with Confidence
Read More
News

Expert Warns: One ‘Heck’ Of A Jellyfish Season

By Mark Beale

According to one jellyfish expert, if world trends are anything to go by, the Whitsundays and Mackay could be in for a dangerous stinger season.

The Whitsundays received its first reported jellyfish sting of the season on Monday afternoon, with a 29-year-old woman stung on the arm while snorkelling off Hamilton Island.

The incident occurred about 4.30pm and the woman is believed to have been stung by an irukandji jellyfish. She was eventually transported to Mackay Base Hospital, where she was discharged early Tuesday morning.

Dr Lisa-ann Gershwin, director of Australian Marine Stinger Advisory Services, who has worked extensively in north Queensland, said it was the first sting she was aware of in Queensland this season.

“Often we have irukandji in late September or early October. Not every year but enough to not think it’s freakish. It’s fairly typical to have one or two this early,” she said.

“Once the first sting has occurred then we can well and truly say ‘here we go the season has started’.”

Questions were immediately raised on social media about whether stinger nets were in place yet.

A Whitsunday Regional Council spokeswoman said two nets were currently in place at Dingo Beach and Wilsons Beach and repairs to the Wilsons Beach net would be undertaken as soon as possible. A third net at Port of Airlie’s Beacon’s Beach will be installed in early November.

Dr Gershwin said she had fears it could be a big jellyfish season.

“I wish I could tell you it’s going to be a completely normal season. What I can tell you is we don’t have a feel yet for Queensland to what the season is going to look like here,” she said.

“I can tell you that overseas has been a really, really big year for jellyfish. If there’s any relationship to here it’s yet to be seen.

“But my best guess, working with them for 20 years, is that we might be in for a heck of a year.

“What that means is not for people to be afraid but vigilant is an appropriate response. We should always look out for them.”

Dr Gershwin said she had a lot of respect for how the Whitsundays dealt with jellyfish.

“The Whitsundays has a very long and proud tradition of stinger safety and has been leading the way… in such a way that other regions are using it and calling it the Whitsunday model. It’s a lot to be proud of,” she said.

“You are setting the best practice for stinger safety.”

Up to Date

Latest News

  • Mandatory Self-Resolution In Community Titles

    By Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management on April 10th, 2025 Living in a community titles scheme can come as a surprise to many new residents. It can take some time to adjust. Perhaps the most striking difference is the proximity to others in your scheme. Life in a body corporate … Read more

    Read Full Post

  • Interest rates on hold

    Nerida Conisbee Ray White Group Chief Economist After a remarkably swift recovery in January 2025, Australia’s property market faces several possible paths as global economic uncertainties continue to evolve. While structural factors like persistent housing undersupply create a solid foundation for long-term growth, various scenarios could play out over the … Read more

    Read Full Post