What is the stinger season in Queensland?

For all its sublime tropical beauty, Queensland is a balmy state, and if there is one thing that the ocean’s stingers love more than coming into contact with unsuspecting swimmers it’s arriving in time for the summer months!

Queensland’s jellyfish and other electrified invertebrates show up from November to May, which corresponds with the state’s wet season.

Luckily, you can avoid nasty and potentially dangerous stingers by wearing a stinger suit. These thin lycra suits protect you from stingers, and have the added bonus of acting as sun protection. Great for snorkelling in the hot summer months!

It’s also good to know that stingers float with the currents, meaning the crew can predict if they will be a problem. And generally, they aren’t an issue on the outer reef as much as the beaches around Cairns. Either way, you can be sure you’ll be safe on a Great Barrier Reef tour if you listen to the crew!

But, regardless of when you choose to head there, some wonderful adventure awaits you, the likes of which include:

The Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is one of the world’s ultimate natural spectacles, a stunning series of individual reefs spread along 2,700 km of gorgeous Queensland coastline.

There is nothing like the GBR, as thousands of fish, marine and coral species live below its turquoise waters, dodging and weaving their days away in the most illuminated of hues.

There are numerous ways to explore the reef, including the famous diving and snorkelling tours that allow you to get up close and personal with the sealife. If that’s not your thing, you can also jump aboard a glass bottom tour or hang out on a pontoon – the choice is yours!

The Daintree Rainforest

The coolest fact about the Daintree Rainforest (among many cool facts) is that it’s the world’s oldest living rainforest, being a cheeky 10 million years older than the mighty Amazon itself!

That makes for a pretty impressive natural stomping ground, with a range of species ubiquitous to the forest and some of the most exciting natural trekking in the whole of Oz.

Be sure to partake in an Indigenous heritage walk, where a member of the Kuku Yalanji will walk you through their deep connection to the land, before jumping aboard an exciting (and highly safe) croc-spotting cruise up the sublime Daintree River!