An outbreak of marine stingers near south-east Queensland’s Fraser Island has the potential to devastate the area’s tourism industry.
While it is extremely rare for irukandji to be found so far south, seven people have recently been hospitalised with suspected stings from the species after swimming on the western side of the island.
Grey nomads are among the thousands who are drawn to the area of outstanding natural beauty … but tourism authorities are desperately hoping the irukandji outbreak isn’t a sign of things to come.
“We would hope they won’t come this far south and becomes an issue for us,” Tourism Fraser Coast general manager Pip Close told the Fraser Coast Chronicle. “It’s one of those things that they do occasionally appear as the water perhaps warms up.”
Ms Close says future outbreaks have the potential to devastate the local tourism industry.
“Certainly it is something that far-north Queensland has to deal with and it does impact their market in terms of swimming in the sea,” she said. “It’s not something that we’ve got on our radar long-term, so hoping it won’t become a thing of the future.”
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The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) says it will not close any beaches on the island but it has erected signs warning people of the dangers of marine stingers.
Would the presence of marine stingers put you off visiting Fraser Island? Would you still swim there? Comment below
I remember a day spent on Bribie Island when we lived in Brisbane. We were relxiang on the beach and heard screaming that went on for ages from a child stung by jellyfish. I’ll never forget it. First aiders came and tried to help him, but an ambulance had to be called. One minute the water was fine, people swimming, next minute people were getting out as fast as they could as the jellyfish swarmed in. 35 years ago,it was the day before my second baby was born, and I can still hear it like it was yesterday.