A RECREATIONAL fisherman who has survived three irukandji stings has warned the potentially lethal jellyfish can strike anywhere there is saltwater.

Anthony Davies, 48, from Brinsmead, no longer goes fishing in the shallows without a T-shirt after suffering three bouts of irukandji syndrome over the course of three decades.

He has come forward with his story after reports a 10-year-old girl was stung 23km inland in waters north of Gladstone last week. Mr Davies was first stung when he was 18, when cast netting in the mouth of the Barron River.

After he went to throw the net after gathering it up from the water, an irukandji landed on his shoulder.

"It was like a bee sting," Mr Davies said.

"But instead of fading, the pain got worse. There was an inch or so of purple tentacle stuck to my shoulder."

He said he became terrified as the onset of irukandji syndrome developed.

"It was much more frightening then interesting when the cramps started," Mr Davies said.

"My chest and stomach muscles started contracting involuntarily every minute or so, pulling my head down on to my chest.

"It was more uncomfortable than painful, but pretty scary.

"My little brother and I jumped in the car and I drove home as quickly as I could."

Once the venom wore off, the cramping and other associated symptoms such as aches, pains and nausea subsided.

The second incident occurred two years later when he was catching prawns off the Cairns Esplanade, when he was stung under similar circumstances.

And then about 10 years later, Mr Davies was stung yet again under freakish circumstances after he caught a doggy mackerel at the harbour entrance during the Easter long weekend.

"One of the toothy little fish bit me as I was unhooking him," he said.

"As one does, I stuck the wounded digit in my mouth.

"Within five minutes my lips were burning and the classic irukandji cramps started. I knew what had stung me because of my previous experiences.

"The line must have picked up an irukandji as I fought the mackerel, with the water pressure forcing a tentacle down the line to the fish’s head like a strand of weed."

This last sting left Mr Davies hospitalised, as far more venom from the marine creature had been injected into his bloodstream through his mouth.

"My mouth and throat were swollen and very painful and the cramps were so bad that I couldn’t drive," he said.

"My wife insisted on taking me to the busy Easter Sunday base hospital casualty department, where triage took the sting very seriously."

The avid angler has a timely warning.

"Fishermen just need to know irukandji can be found anywhere, from a couple of kilometres up a river to eight miles out to sea," he said.

"Just be very, very careful. Contact with the water can put you in contact with an irukandji."

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