Could the best line of defence against the most deadly marine creature — the box jellyfish — be found hovering in the skies hundreds of metres above swimmers?
Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson and jellyfish experts think so and want drones — already used along the Queensland coastline to detect sharks and crocodiles — to be included in the safety plan for protecting swimmers against the deadly threat.
The push for drones to be used at Mackay beaches comes after the death of 14-year-old Mark Angelo, who was stung by a box jellyfish at Eimeo Beach in February.
Since then, there have been discussions about how to better patrol and monitor beaches to protect swimmers.
Dragging nets have long been relied upon, but Cr Williamson said they provided a false sense of security.
"That's why dragging a beach is useless, because stingers can swim at four-knots [7.4 kilometres an hour] and by the time you get out of the water from a drag, they're in."
Cr Williamson said a meeting with Surf Lifesaving Queensland, stinger experts and volunteer lifesavers had committed to setting up a working group and developing practical solutions.
The drones would use cameras that would feed vision back to operators on the ground who would be able to see if a school of jellyfish was making its way towards beachgoers.
As box jellyfish don't hunt in isolation but clusters, they are visible from the air.
However, Professor Michael Kingsford from James Cook University, said water quality and weather conditions could pose issues in detecting box jellyfish.
"You need a multifaceted sort of approach … people shouldn't be waiting for the ultimate solution."
Jellyfish RATs and creams
Professor Kingsford says work is also being done on a testing kit that would detect jellyfish DNA in the water.
"If you identify part of the DNA that identifies it as a species, you have to make sure that it's very robust and doesn't get confused with other species that are either jellyfish or not.
In another development aimed at protecting swimmers, trials are underway in Europe to test a topical cream that acts as a repellent against jellyfish.
But Professor Kingsford said such creams could also prove problematic.
"It's like sunscreen … you end up with those patches of red on your body [you] miss.
"The same is true for jellyfish creams.
"I'd have to say, a much more reliable method is a stinger suit, despite not always looking like a fashion icon."
Deadly predators are 'actually hunting'
Cr Williamson said commonly held beliefs about the box jellyfish were wrong and played down the threat they posed.
"They herd their prey into shallow water … they're not just a lump of jelly floating around in the water.
"It's not floating, it's actually hunting."
He said information from stinger expert Dr Jamie Seymour indicated the drones and cameras could provide 90 per cent effectiveness in detecting the jellyfish.
Authorities are continuing to urge people to wear protective clothing when swimming at North Queensland beaches.
Cr Williamson said he would like to see the drones rolled out at Eimeo and Sarina beaches by next summer.
