Whitsunday Irukandji jellyfish sting attack on teen at New Beach

A Whitsunday teenager recalls the harrowing pain of Irukandji venom as it spread from his arm, to his chest — and burnt through his legs.

A Mount Marlow teen could feel the lethal venom spreading — starting near his hand and moving to his chest.

Not long after, Max Baker could feel the venom burning in his legs.

“It was the worst pain,” Max said.

“The pain kept coming.”

The 13-year-old had been enjoying the school holidays at New Beach with his friends on Friday afternoon, April 8.

The three boys decided to make the most of it and went for a swim in the netted area.

It was not long before Max felt the sting of one of the most venomous creatures known to man — the Irukandji jellyfish.

Mount Marlow teenager Max Baker was stung by an Irukandji jellyfish at New Beach on April 8, 2022. Picture: Michelle Baker

The sting happened just two months after Mackay teenager Mark Angelo Ligmayo lost his life to a box jellyfish in Eimeo Beach.

Max managed to call his mum Michelle Baker, who was finishing work in Cannonvale, to tell her what had happened.

Over the phone, she was able to guide Max and his friends into action, calling paramedics and pouring vinegar over the teen’s arm.

Mrs Baker, who didn’t have a car, called a friend who went to Max’s aid while she organised to meet him at Proserpine Hospital.

“He was trembling, the burning in his legs was excruciating,” she said.

Mrs Baker said doctors were particularly worried about Max’s heart which was stressed from the venom and giving him chest pain.

“It’s hard standing there and not being able to help,” Mrs Baker said.

“I was a complete mess.”

‘He was trembling, the burning in his legs was excruciating’. Picture: Michelle Baker

It took two days for Max’s heart to return to normal, and he was released from the hospital on Monday.

Mrs Baker said it was something she never wanted to experience again.

She said while the boys knew the Airlie Beach Lagoon was safer, they had decided to go to the beach because lifeguards would have turned them away for being 13 and unsupervised.

“I trust him to swim though, he’s a good swimmer,” Mrs Baker said.

‘The pain kept coming’. Picture: Michelle Baker

While Mrs Baker said would love for Max and his older brother Jamie to wear stinger suits the next time they were in the water, she didn’t think it was likely they would comply.

“When kids get to 13 or 14, they think they’re 10 feet tall and bulletproof, they think ‘it won’t happen to me’,” she said.

Mrs Baker said in her five years in the Whitsundays, she hadn’t seen anyone wearing a stinger suit at the beach.

Mrs Baker’s observations are in line with what North Queensland Surf Life Savers fears.

North Barrier Life Saving director Angela Blair regularly patrols Mackay Harbour Beach and said she was disappointed with the amount of people not taking up the protective apparel.

North Barrier Life Saving director Angela Blair at Mackay Harbour Beach on April 14, 2022. Picture: Lillian Watkins

“It’s a disappointing percentage. On our beach alone, it’s less than five per cent,” Ms Blair said.

“We have been told by research scientists that Lycra stinger suits are the best protection against those fatal stings.

“We can’t say anything is going to necessarily save anybody, but it can help prevent those life threatening situations.”

The surf lifesaver said the number of beachgoers wearing stinger suits had stayed consistently low since Mark Angelo Ligmayo’s tragic death from a box jellyfish on Eimeo Beach in February.

Eimeo and Mackay Surf Life Saving Club members (front) Michal Blair, Mikaere Blair, Angela Blair, Zara Richardson, Isabelle Malouf, Rhys Phegan, Owen Malouf, Luke Phegan, Tom McMillan. (Back) Freya Richardson, Asher Richardson, Archer Malouf and Zoe McMillan at Mackay Harbour Beach on April 14, 2022. Picture: Lillian Watkins

“In all honesty, I haven’t noticed a significant rise [in stinger suits],” she said.

“I just don’t think the message is being perceived, for so long people have swum in bikinis, boardies, togs, and nothing has ever been a problem.”

She said she believed many Mackay beachgoers had been lulled into a false sense of security throughout the years.

But Ms Blair said since the tragedy, people appeared to be more responsive to conversations about stinger suits.

“Last weekend, lifesavers across the north barrier region which is Sarina right through to Forest Beach had administered 17 first aid treatments to beachgoers and lifeguards in the area had performed 351 preventive actions,” Ms Blair said.

“We are swimming in an unknown territory, that doesn’t belong to us.

“While we’re walking along the street we can see what’s going on and what we’re doing — but in the water we’re in another domain.”

North Barrier Life Saving director Angela Blair with children in stinger suits at Mackay Harbour Beach on April 14, 2022. Picture: Lillian Watkins

Ms Blair said that was why stinger suits were so important as the “seatbelts of the sea”.

“There is more modern technology out there but at the moment we are not in a situation where we can actually use those sorts of things,” she said.

In particular, Ms Blair noted the use of drones to patrol beaches.

“But even those give a maximum time of 10 minutes.

“So doing our drag in the area provided, that’s more or less the [same] time.”

Originally published as Whitsunday Irukandji jellyfish sting attack on teen at New Beach