Stinger season starts
WITH the days getting hotter and the water looking more enticing, beware the marine stingers as today marks the official start of both jellyfish season and the wet season.
Stinger nets will be put into the waters on Monday at Port Douglas, Palm Cove, Holloways, Clifton and Trinity beaches and Ellis Beach and Yorkeys Knob on Tuesday.
Far North Life Saving Services co-ordinator Ebeny Keating said she had been consulting researchers on what sort of stinger season was predicted.
"We're hoping that it won't be bad," Ms Keating said.
"It depends on what sort of storm season we have.
"When it's flat and calm northerlies there is a risk of jellyfish as they prefer the calm water."
Ms Keating urged beach-goers to swim between the red and yellow flags and inside the nets.
The Australian Marine Stinger Advisory Services senior adviser Lisa-ann Gershwin said jellyfish were guided by the weather.
"The beautiful Cairns postcard days will see swarms of box jellies and irukandji," Ms Gershwin said. "The more beautiful the day the more activity we can expect."
Share this article
On guard: Lifesaver Marty Bahlstrom on the lookout for jellyfish at the start of the stinger season.
New Jetstar flights between Cairns and Osaka
THE re-introduction of Jetstar's four weekly direct services to Osaka in Japan and a doubling of flights to Melbourne from April 1 next year are the first significant announcements today by the airline as the result of a new agreement with Cairns Airport.
Kate earns National Pride Medal
INSPIRING young leader and cancer survivor Kate Smith could hardly believe she won a national Pride of Australia medal last night.
Escapee back in custody
BREAKING NEWS: Police have found a man who escaped from police custody at Ravenshoe on Sunday night.
Woman watched boyfriend bash, strip tourist
THE girlfriend of a man accused of raping and attempting to rape two foreign tourists at a Cairns caravan park says she watched him bash and strip one of them then chase after her.
