GEARING UP TO KEEP OUR BEACHES SAFE
TOWNSVILLE lifeguards are anticipating a busy couple of months as it begins to warm up, with the stinger nets to be put in place by the start of November.
Temperatures are already pushing 30C, making for favourable swimming conditions as the annual stinger season, which typically runs from October to May, begins.
Surf Life Saving Townsville’s Russell Blanchard said the stinger nets would return across the region’s beaches by November 1, in line with previous years.
“We’re there every day, but once the nets go in we’ll be starting to do our stinger drags, doing our risk assessments on a daily basis just to see what is around,” he said.
According to Queensland Ambulance Service figures, there were 12 marine stings in the Townsville region from October 2018 to May this year.
No stings were recorded in October, while November had 4, December 3 and January 5.
There were 15 recorded jellyfish stings from October 2017 to April 2018.
Mr Blanchard said there were solid numbers of visitors across Townsville beaches during the winter period, spurred on by stellar weather.
“Winter is always relatively busy because you do get a lot of tourists, backpackers and grey nomads,” he said.
He said the beaches had bounced back after the debris from the floods and lifeguards were expecting plenty of people in the warmer months.
“There should be plenty of people around,” he said.
“Hopefully we do start getting some rain and a few storms so it’s not too sticky.
“(We’re) looking forward to good numbers and a lot of people around all the beaches.”
Ahead of stinger season, Mr Blanchard urged people to visit serviced beaches and swim between the red and yellow flags, read the beach reports, have a chat to the lifeguard on duty and wear protective swimmers.