Stinger season airlie beach message board tripadvisor. Stinger season great barrier reef forum tripadvisor. Lisaann gershwin, our senior marine stinger advisor, has over 18 years experience in jellyfish research, with focus on australian jellyfishes since 1998. Stinger and croc information marine stingers are found in the warmer waters of tropical queensland year round with the highest occurrence in stinger season from october to may. Lisaann gershwin senior marine stinger advisor at the natural sciences queen victoria museum and art gallery in launceston tasmania.
Stinger season cairns and port douglas and stinger season great barrier reef. Marine stingers box jellyfish queensland beaches australia. Japanese tourists are especially catered for, with many shops signs. Now i understand why there was no mention of stingers non that i recall anyway. However, one of the downsides when you live in cairns or are visiting cairns is having to put up with. Irukandji stings rise as jellyfish season hangs around longer in. Its the curse of the tropics the stinger season, natures reminder that australia is home to some of the deadliest creatures on earth. Stinger season or jellyfish season is generally between november and may in cairns and port douglas. A stinger suit is an allover body stocking that can be worn while snorkeling or diving.
Mar 27, 2020 lei is south of the stinger and cyclone zones, so is fine in summer. But they may be present in the waters of northern australia. Marine stinger information for australia and the great barrier. Hi i will be staying in cairns at the end of february and was planning to do the fitzroy island day trip, as it is stinger season will it be worth doing it, i realise i will need to wear a stinger suit to go in the water. Includes burleigh heads, surfers paradise, whitsundays, palm cove, port douglas four mile beach and the daintree. Irukandji are commonly referred to as marine stingers, or stingers. These jellyfish pack a punch, with around 80 confirmed deaths since 1883, and countless injuries affecting both tourists and. It is the period in the year when dangerous jellyfish are aplenty within northern australia. Stinger and croc information great barrier reef australia. Barrier or stinger nets are placed in the waters off many cairns beaches during the stinger season. From my understanding, even with lycra suits on, their.
The cairns esplanade lagoon pool that can be used in any season, even when most of the cairns beaches are closed due to a large amount of jellyfish or the stinger season itself. Meanwhile, the areas low season known locally as the wet or stinger season takes place between november and. Every year the beach hosts thousands of visitors from around the world. During this time you need to swim inside the stinger enclosures at the beaches or wear a stinger suit. Nineteen people have been taken to hospital with suspected irukandji stings in queensland so far this season almost double the 10year average, according to the australian marine stinger.
Visit cairns marine stingers in cairns cairns australia. Many popular tropical holiday destinations, including port douglas, palm cove, cairns and mission beach, install stinger nets during summer to keep box jellyfish out, but they offer no protection. Always swim at patrolled beaches between the red and yellow flags, inside the stinger nets where provided. Jellyfish and stingers in queensland during summer. Nov 09, 2014 heres some incentive to don a stinger suit and swim between those stinger nets during the summer months in the tropical regions of the world. The most notable concern when swimming at beaches in queensland is marine stingers. The marine ecosystem around cairns is one of the most healthy, beautiful and diverse in the world. Cairns beaches stinger season cairns life information. Predominantly a problem along the coast and not usually affecting the great barrier reef, north queenslands marine and estuarine environment is home to many interesting animals, including some harmful jellyfish collectively known as marine stingers. Stingers are of particular concern in tropical australian waters between november to mayjune.
They are widely dispersed and so incidences of stings are rare. Stinger season refers to the period of time when dangerous jellyfish are aplenty. Oct is the start of the stinger season so you will need to wear a protected stinger suit for. May 20, 2011 lagoon in cairns, australia artificial lagoon a public swimming pool with some sand on one side on the promenade near the pier. Sadly, it comes every year without fail and is the curse of the tropics. Between the months of november to may although over the last few years its been much shorter, jellyfish of all types hit the shores of cairns beaches. Avoiding jellyfish season australia queensland australia. Stinger season in the great barrier reef down under. They tend to inhabit river mouths and shallow coastal waters and rarely inhabit the great barrier reef islands such as fitzroy island, green island and dunk island. Stinger season in the great barrier reef down under tours. May 21, 2018 stinger nets across the far north are being rolled in this week to mark the end of a quieterthanusual season. Protecting yourself from cairns jellyfish at the beaches and on the reef. However in the northern western australia and northern queensland the summer months ranging from november to march appear to be quite heavy with jellies. Stinger season refers to an influx of jellyfish species in and around the great barrier reef, and they come to this area because of the warm, tropical waters.
Tropical stingers have potent toxic stings which can cause serious illness and death in some cases. Fitzroy island stinger season cairns forum tripadvisor. Your plan though does have other potential difficulties for mid march is not really a great time to be in northern australia because of weather, be it cairns or darwin as you would be there at pretty close to what may be the peak of the wet season and so you can expect to get hot humid and wet days with the possibility of severe storms and even. You are here home living in cairns cairns beaches stinger season swimming at beaches is one of the most popular things to do in cairns, simply because there are so many beaches to choose from, many uncrowded. Whilst globally the term box jellyfish is the general term given to any jellyfish which has a bell head shaped like a box, in australia, the name always refers.
I have been trawling back through the forums to find out about when stingers are out and about, and there is some conflicting advice. Hi i will be staying in cairns at the end of february and was planning to do the fitzroy island day trip, as it is stinger season will it be worth doing it, i realise i will need to wear a stinger suit to go in the water for snorkeling and doing sup. The stinger season varies, generally speaking the warmer the water the longer the season. Top cairns beaches including swimming holes for wet. Cairns jellyfish, marine stingers and irukandji there was a very interesting email interview conducted by christina james cairns holiday specialists group director sales and marketing and dr. In the kewarra beach, the authorities have installed stinger nets in the coastal waters so that people can swim in the net. Great barrier reef box jellyfish barrier reef australia. For the current status at the beaches, view surf lifesaving queenslands north queensland marine stinger season update website. Nov 10, 2017 stinger season refers to an influx of jellyfish species in and around the great barrier reef, and they come to this area because of the warm, tropical waters. They are found in the waters north of bundaberg, queensland, up around the coast of the northern territory and down to exmouth in western australia. Want to visit airlie beach and the whitsundays but like to snorkel and swim in water from the shore. There isnt a fixed date for stinger season, but it is usually during the warmer aussie months of november to may. This is jellyfish breeding season and many dangerous stingers are found in close to shore so you must either wear a protective stinger suit or swim in one of the stinger enclosures found on. Cairns esplanade lagoon, right in the centre of town.
Click here to read some more about marine stingers. Also, safety information about marine stingers and other dangers. Since there is a rise in the jellyfish population, there is also a slightly elevated risk of. During the warmer months of october may, the waters warm up, inviting in guests such as marine stingers, or jellyfish. Stinger season in cairns summer time in cairns brings with it the sweltering heat and high humidity which seems perfect for taking a cooling dip. Lei is south of the stinger and cyclone zones, so is fine in summer. The beaches of cairns are truly breathtaking with glorious stretches of white pearl sands and a bounty of blue stretching to the horizon, yet with the high season sunlight pouring down this is also. I know this has probably been asked but when is stinger season. Lagoon in cairns, australia artificial lagoon a public swimming pool with some sand on one side on the promenade near the pier. Stinger season is officially between november to may, but you will find that most beaches are dragged much earlier for any signs of marine stingers and many beaches will install the stinger nets earlier than november. Nasty aquatic pests that invade the coast line every year. If you book a great barrier reef tour during the stinger season, stinger suits will be handed out on the boat before your dive.
Again, you need to speak with the local lifeguards to be sure. They roam the shores of cairns and deep seas of the great barrier reef in significant numbers. Stinger season the waters of the great barrier reef change throughout the year, depending on the season and currents. No stingers in summer, but whale shark season begins in march through to about july, and humpback whale season runs from july to october. Stinger nets across the far north are being rolled in this week to mark the end of a quieterthanusual season. Dont want to worry about stingers originally was looking to come november. Cairns jellyfish, all you need to know about jellyfish in cairns and the great barrier reef. Irukandji stings rise as jellyfish season hangs around. Stinger season cairns down under tours down under tours.
However, one of the downsides when you live in cairns or are visiting cairns is having to put up with stingers. In the northern australia box jellyfish probably emerge in october with the arrival of winter season and ends at the start of summer months. The first incident of the 201516 stinger season has been recorded after a woman was stung by a potentially deadly irukandji jellyfish at a far north beach. At last count, there were approximately 20 such cairns jellyfish nets in the waters across north queensland. I remember diving the first time i came to australia with a company from cairns around about november time a few years back. Its comfortable, flexible and ensures 100% protection from a sting. The stingers are translucent, so are often difficult to spot in the water. A highlight of anyones visit to cairns is a swim in the warm tropical waters amongst the coral and the fishes. Cairns is a cosmopolitan city with a population of approx. These jellyfish pack a punch, with around 80 confirmed deaths since 1883, and countless injuries affecting both tourists and locals. The kewarra beach is located at the coastal suburb of cairns, australia.
Great barrier reef australia irukandji jellyfish barrier reef australia. Cairns is the gateway to the great barrier reef marine park, daintree rainforest and cape tribulation in tropical north queensland, australia. A lot of people also think they have to go to cairns to see the great barrier reef which is not quite so for the gbr is a series of reefsislands running from far northern queensland right down to several hundred kilometres north of brisbane so if you are looking at cairns because of mainly the gbr, you could get to see it by driving to 400 km. Oct 17, 2017 stinger suits are a great way to protect yourself. Having said that, you can snorkel off the beach at the ningaloo reef in western australia. In past years i have seen the nets in the water as early as late september. Heres some tips to protect yourself in tropical waters. There are simple precautions that you can take to minimise your risk and swim safely. Some of my boys ages 9, 7, and 5 want to do the snorkeling. Her phd is in identification and classification of box jellyfish and irukandjis. The jellyfish season runs from around november to may in tropical. From the first of november until the start of may, the stinger nets are out around cairns and port douglas. Sun sets on a quiet cairns stinger season cairns post.
All queensland beaches north of town of seventeen seventy near gladstone can attract the marine stingers during the summer months of the year. Predominantly a problem along the coast and not usually affecting the great barrier reef, north queenslands marine and estuarine environment is home to many interesting animals, including some harmful jellyfish collectively known as. Dec 20, 2016 its the curse of the tropics the stinger season, natures reminder that australia is home to some of the deadliest creatures on earth. When you think of cairns you think of clear blue oceans and warm blues skies but during the months between november and may it is stinger season in cairns. Experts, however, dont encourage the commonlyused term of. She has published over 40 technical scientific papers on jellyfish and sting research. Stinger season in the australian tropics is something you need to be aware of. According to dr lisaann gershwin, jellyfish expert and curator of australian irukandji stinger data base, there is a fatality every three to four years in australia from a box jellyfish, compared to 20 50 fatalities in places such as the philippines where education and prevention measures are not as sophisticated. How long does it take to travel to the great barrier reef from cairns. Australia is leading the study of these creatures, which is probably the reason why the jellyfish may be wrongly associated with occurring only in australia. So therefore, the further north you go, the longer the season.
Those hitting the beach should be sure to only swim in. Since there is a rise in the jellyfish population, there is also a slightly elevated risk of beachgoers and snorkelers getting stung. We are doing a reef trip with quicksilver in november. The fleckeri has killed 64 people in australia since records began in 1883. Holiday and travel information about every beach in queensland, australia. Im a little concerned about the stingers, especially in stinger season. Cairns jellyfish information for snorkellers and divers. From november it is sensible to wear stinger suits in the water, as box jellyfish and irukandji the smallest of the box jellyfish family can be deadly. Heres some incentive to don a stinger suit and swim between those stinger nets during the summer months in the tropical regions of the world. These jellyfish pack a punch, causing injury and deaths. The average sea temperature in summer at cairns northern beaches ranges from 28. The queensland government provides a number of boating facilities such as boat ramps, pontoons and jetties within the cairns regional council area. Will be relatively safe at the end of september, beginning of october.
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