Are There Jellyfish In Cairns?
Yes, there are both dangerous and non-deadly jellyfish in Cairns, particularly during stinger season (November to May), when the waters are warmer and breeding peaks.
Jellyfish are found floating through waters all over our big blue planet, from South East Asia and South Africa to the Caribbean and Cairns. Jellies love the warmer climates of Tropical Far North Queensland, and from November to May reach their peak in volume as they come out to get their rocks off under the summer sun.
Whilst they’re truly a mesmerising spectacle to behold, you wouldn’t want to find yourself getting too up close and personal. For a brainless species lacking both blood and a backbone (or any bones at all), these little sea creatures can pack a pretty nasty punch. However, there are plenty of ways for you to explore the Great Barrier Reef, all year round!
Dangerous Jellyfish in Cairns
In Cairns, you’ve mostly got to be wary of box jellyfish. Two species of box stingers can be found floating through the reefs off Cairns, the chironex fleckeri and the Irunkandji.
The former is the largest of the box family and has a reputation for being the most lethal creature known to humans, and the latter is the smallest and almost equally as deadly. Both species' stings can have fatal effects within a mere of matter minutes or as delayed as two days, known as Irukandji syndrome. It’s vehemently important to monitor stings immediately, call 000 and seek medical attention. Whilst awaiting medical help, rinse the sting with vinegar for a minimum of thirty seconds and avoid rubbing. Warm water can also soothe the pain in the meantime.
Despite their propensity to poison, jellyfish and humans have coexisted on the Great Barrier Reef for more than 400,000 years, and we’ve mastered safe tactics for sharing their waters even in the height of scuba and stinger season.
Stinger season in Cairns
How do jellyfish breed?
So we know that the volume of stingers peaks from November to May as the warmth creates an ideal environment for mating and reproduction, but how do these bloodless and brainless creatures even breed? It’s a loaded question. The jellyfish, or sea jellies as they're more aptly called sometimes, are marine innovators of karma sutra, which is just a silly way of saying that these creatures have more than several ways of reproducing.
Some jellyfish procreate with others when they release sperm and eggs into the water around them, some entwine their tentacles to trade reproductive goods, and some simply go it alone, splitting off from themselves to spawn clones.
What’s even more fascinating is one species’ ability to hit rewind on the aging process when on the verge of death, undergoing a Benjamin Button-like transformation where they age backward into a baby (a polyp) to start the lifecycle over — eliminating the need for procreation in the first place. This is called transdifferentiation, and only the turritopsis dohrnii (or immortal jellyfish) is capable of it.
Can I swim in Cairns during stinger season?
During these months swimmers are strongly encouraged to take extra safety precautions when wading into the deep blue, and many beaches will even close to the public if the risk is too great. If you do encounter a closed beach fight the urge to swim, play it safe and be stinger smart. Not to fret, though! You can still have the best swim of your life in stinger season.
Find flagged and patrolled beaches with stinger nets, and always wear stinger safety gear on scuba and snorkel adventures. Reef tours will provide suits as a part of their package during stinger season. And if you’re ever in doubt, consult your tour operator or a nearby lifeguard for clarity and advice on safe swimming zones.
Or, to play it super safe on the mainland, the central Cairns lagoon is a fantastic place to unwind, cool off and splash around with no risk of any stinger encounters!
