OUTBACK & REEF
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Safety · 3 min read

Stinger season, plainly

What it is, when it is, and what the boats do about it.

Dense Daintree rainforest canopy with palms and tall trees, mist drifting over the hills behind

Box jellyfish and irukandji live in the coastal waters of tropical Queensland, and are most common from about November to May. A sting can be serious.

It doesn't mean you can't swim. The reef boats provide full-length stinger suits; wear one. On the mainland beaches, swim inside the stinger nets and between the flags. Vinegar stations are on the beaches for a reason.

If you want warm, calm days and the lowest risk, go between June and October. That's when we send most people to the reef.

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