Townsville swimmer stung by box jellyfish at Pallarenda Beach

Quick thinking bystanders rushed in to help before paramedics arrived with anti-venom after a woman was badly stung on Sunday.

Paramedics are urging swimmers in North Queensland to stick to patrolled beaches protected by “stinger nets” after a woman was stung by a deadly box jellyfish on the weekend.

Lisa Schroder, in her 40s, was swimming at Pallarenda Beach near Townsville about midday on Sunday when she was stung on her leg and abdomen.

She described the pain as “excruciating” and “horrendous”, crediting quick thinking bystanders poured vinegar on her before paramedics arrived to take her to hospital.

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Lisa Schroder was stung by a box jellyfish on Sunday. Picture: Facebook.

“I got out and yelled to my husband that I’d been bitten by a jellyfish,” she told the Townsville Bulletin.

“He ran to get the bottle of vinegar while I pulled off the tentacles still stuck to me.

“We doused the stings in the vinegar … by this stage I was crying and shaking.”

Emergency teams arrived, describing Lisa as being visibly “unwell”.

Vinegar helps remove any other tentacles from the box jellyfish victim. Picture Patrina Malone

“She was very sweaty, nauseated and vomiting and she was in an incredible amount of pain,” Critical Care Paramedic Reece Thomas said.

“I could see the very characteristic, wheel-like frosted pattern we associate with box jellyfish stings.

“We carry box jellyfish anti-venom, so we gave her that to help with her pain and help mitigate any severe side effects.”

She was taken to Townsville Hospital in a stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery.

Mr Thomas said it had been reassuring to see so many vinegar bottles on the beach, but issued a reminder to swimmers given the fatal nature of some box jellyfish stings.

“Stick to patrolled beaches, and only swim within the stinger nets,” he said.

Originally published as Townsville swimmer stung by box jellyfish at Pallarenda Beach