17 May 2010
MEDIA RELEASE – NORTH QUEENSLAND STINGER NET REMOVAL TO BE DELAYED

STINGER-resistant enclosures will remain in North Queensland beaches after a Box Jellyfish was sighted at South Mission beach over the weekend.

The stinger nets were scheduled to be removed from Bowen to Port Douglas over the next fortnight but will remain in the water while the situation is monitored.

Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) North Queensland area manager Ebeny Keating said that the stinger nets would not be removed until there had been 14 days of clear drags.

“Our lifesavers and lifeguards will be monitoring the situation closely over the next fortnight,” Ms Keating said.

“The nets will continue to be dragged daily and we won’t remove the nets until we’ve had at least 14 consecutive days of clear drags.

“We advise all beach goers to swim within the nets at patrolled beaches and to wear stinger suits as an extra precaution.”

SLSQ will monitor the situation over the next fortnight and will only remove the nets when deemed safe to do so.

ENDS

For more information, contact:
Jessica Strudwick
SLSQ Media and Communication Coordinator
3846 8044 / 0419 201 246

Peter Roulston (Townsville Region)
SLSQ North Queensland Regional Manager
0439 749 118

Ebeny Keating (Cairns Region)
SLSQ North Queensland Area Manager
0403 577 649