BOX JELLYFISH & IRUKANDJI DEATHS IN AUSTRALIA. Many more fatal stings are thought to have occurred, but these are the ones that have been reported. Yellow highlights indicate fatalities that had not been previously in the envenomation literature but were found in old newspapers.

Abbreviations: NT: Northern Territory. QLD: Queensland. WA: Western Australia. F: female. M: male. W1996: Williamson et al. 1996 (see reference below). Cl & S or C&S: Cleland and Southcott, 1965 (see reference below). LG: Lisa-ann Gershwin notes.

#	STATE	LOCALITY	DATE	AGE	GENDER	TIME	REFERENCE	NOTES
1	NT	Aurukun	indefinte	7 or 8	F	--	W1996: 70	Indigenous - Lillian Pambegan -- 7 or 8 years female -- 1940's
2	NT	Aurukun	indefinite	5 or 6	F	--	W1996: 70	Indigenous - ELisabeth Kawangka -- 5 or 6 years female -- 1940's
3	NT	Port Darwin - Sea baths	17 Nov 1892	14	M	evening	NEW from TROVE	Fred Harwood - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article25342396
4	NT	Darwin baths	1894	15	M	--	W1996: 70
5	NT	Darwin baths (near)	12 Mar 1938	11	M	mid-aftn	W1996: 70	‘half-caste boy’ Tommy Chandler; specimen attached to body deposited in SAM- http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article81913026; http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92472134
6	NT	Darwin	3 Apr 1941	ca 20	M	--	W1996: 70
7	NT	NT	~17 Jan1944	soldier	M		NEW from TROVE	http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/78795783
8	NT	Darwin	ca Mar 1944	ca 20	M	pm	W1996: 70	Is this this report?: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article78795783
9	NT	Appel Channel, Mornington Isl	Dec 1947	young	F	am	Cl & S?? (Kinsey88)
10	NT	Mindil Beach, Darwin	3 Dec 1950	28	M	afternoon	W1996: 70	http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49474180
11	NT	Darwin	~29 mar 1951		M		NEW from TROVE	http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64428001
12	NT	Larrakeyah Beach, Darwin	28 Feb 1954	8	M	afternoon	W1996: 70	Clarke William Currow -- http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28659472; http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50583802
13	NT	in the Gulf at Rose N.A.B. Station	xx Apr 1954	child			NEW from TROVE	Reported 9 April: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65168851
14	NT	Snake Bay, Melville Isl	15 Dec 1954	4	F	am	W1996: 70
15	NT	Myilly Pt, Bathurst Isl	25 Dec 1955	young	M	1pm	W1996: 70
16	NT	Rose R., Arnhemland	1955	6	M	--	W1996: 70
17	NT	Maningrida, Liverpool R.	3 May 1959	3	M	Late pm	W1996: 70
18	NT	Maningrida, Liverpool R.	16 Dec 1961	4	F	Late pm	W1996: 70
19	NT	Mica Beach, Darwin	23 Feb 1964	6	M	--	C&S: 115; W1996: 70
20	NT	Milingimbi, Arnhem Land	18 Jan 1967	7	F	--	W1996: 70
21	NT	Shoal Bay, Darwin	28 Mar 1970	8	F	--	W1996: 70
22	NT	Melville Isl	6 Apr 1974	2	M	--	W1996: 70
23	NT	Bathurst Isl	2 Feb 1975	4	F	--	W1996: 70
24	NT	Yirrkala, Arnhem Land	11 Dec 1975	4	F	--	W1996: 70
25	NT	Snake Bay, Melville Isl	15 Jan 1977	6	F	--	W1996: 70
26	NT	Maningrida, Liverpool R.	23 Jan 1978	6	M	--	W1996: 70
27	NT	Maningrida, Liverpool R.	26 Dec 1979	6	M	--	W1996: 70
28	NT	Snake Bay, Melville Isl	20 Sept 1980	6	M	430pm	W1996: 70
29	NT	Goulburn Isl	4 Apr 1983	8	F	--	W1996: 70
30	NT	Milingimbi, Arnhem Land	14 Dec 1983	8	M	--	W1996: 70
31	NT	Elcho Isl	4 Nov 1984	8	F	--	W1996: 70
32	NT	Milingimbi, Arnhem Land	2 Dec 1985	6	F	--	W1996: 70
33	NT	Garden Point, Melville Isl	1 Feb 1988	9	M	--	W1996: 70
34	NT	Snake Bay, Melville Isl	4 Apr 1988	13	M	--	W1996: 70
35	NT	Island community	Feb 1996	3	F		Currie & Jacups 2005	Indigenous
36	NT	Melville Island: Milikapiti barge landing	11-Nov-07	6	M	aftn	LG	Indigenous -- http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2007/11/13/2583_ntnews.html
37	QLD	Ross Isl, Townsville	30 Dec 1884	11	M	730am	W1996: 70
38	QLD	Townsville	Dec/Jan 1884	boy	M		NEW from TROVE	Reported 31 Jan 1884: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article35863091
39	QLD	Strand, Townsville	16 Jan 1885	6	M	7am	W1996: 70
40	QLD	Cannonvale, Proserpine	25 dec 1910	12	M	--	W1996: 70
41	QLD	Cannonvale, Proserpine	14 Apr 1911	11	M	--	W1996: 70
42	QLD	Pioneer Bay	5-May-11				NEW from TROVE	Albert George -- http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10100424
43	QLD	Kissing Pt, Townsville	5 Mar 1916	17	M	1020am	W1996: 70
44	QLD	Mars Beach, Cannonvale	7 Jan 1923	36	M	--	W1996: 70	reported as 30yo -- http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article93394413
45	QLD	Picnic Bay, Magnetic Island	20-Jan-30	7	M	afternoon	NEW from TROVE	Maurice Woods -- Reported 17Jan1930: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/22924595; http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article84916595
46	QLD	Googarra Beach, Tully Heads	26 Dec 1934	28	M	am	W1996: 70	Salvatore Canterella at Coogarra Beach - Coroners findings: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55533427
47	QLD	Bramston Beach	20 Jan 1937	19	M	7am	W1996: 70	David William Taylor -- http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47779258; http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47779258
48	QLD	Googarra Beach, Tully Heads	26 Feb 1939	5	F	430pm	W1996: 70	Ruth Hamilton --- http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62811460
49	QLD	Horseshoe Bay, Cannonvale	20 Dec 1939	3 1/2	M	7-730am	W1996: 70	Patrick Paull -- sailing club in Airlie; see Val Hinschen (bloke) Cannonvale --http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/92453112
50	QLD	Townsville	19 Jan 1941	13	F	150pm	W1996: 70
51	QLD	Townsville	6 Dec 1941	nearly 8	M	ca 12:00	W1996: 70
52	QLD	South Mission Beach, Tully	6 Mar 1943	21	M	4pm	W1996: 70
53	QLD	North Mission Beach, Tully	18 Dec 1949	10	M	430pm	W1996: 70	Brian McNamara - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42650990; http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/49718643
54	QLD	Kissing Pt, Townsville	Apr 1951	14	F	--	W1996: 70
55	QLD	Saltwater Creek, N of Townsville	4 May 1953	33	M	1pm	W1996: 70	James Ernest Lane -- http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51095176; http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50543079
56	QLD	Cardwell	20 Jan 1955	5	M	9-935am	W1996: 70	Darryl John Millar -- http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91202338
57	QLD	Pearce Creek, Ross River, Tville	13 Dec 1956	38	M	1110am	W1996: 70
58	QLD	Bluff Beach, Yeppoon	16 Mar 1957	10	M	8am	W1996: 70	http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91584290
59	QLD	North Mission Beach, Tully	13 Dec 1957	11	F	10:50am	W1996: 70	Local non-indigenous - sister of Feluga principal
60	QLD	Bamaga, Cape York	13 Jan 1962	9	M	1pm	W1996: 70
61	QLD	Thursday Island	14 Jan 1962	7			Southcott Notes A646	killed in 15 minutes [[NOT PREVIOUSLY REPORTED by W1996 or Kinsey or others]]
62	QLD	Yorkeys Knob, Trinity Bay	21 Jan 1962	50	M	1130am	W1996: 70
63	QLD	South Mission Beach, Tully	31 Dec 1962	6	M	11am	W1996: 70
64	QLD	Bucasia Beach, Mackay	12 Feb 1963	10	M	420pm	W1996: 70
65	QLD	Palm Cove. Cairns	21 Jan 1964	9	F	--	C&S: 115; Kinsey 1986
66	QLD	Mornington Island	Dec. 1965	5	F	--	Kinsey 1988: 31
67	QLD	Mornington Island
68	QLD	Half Moon Bay (Yorkey’s)	31 Jan 1966	4	M	--	Kinsey 1986
69	QLD	Aurukun	4 Jan 1967	10	M	--	Kinsey 1986	James Woolla -- stung on the face and chest -- died instantly
70	QLD	Forrest Beach, Ingham	12 Dec 1970	20	F	--	Kinsey 1986
71	QLD	Seaforth Beach, N of Mackay	Jan-71	12	M		NEW from TROVE	http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/126165034
72	QLD	North Mission Beach, Tully	22 Nov 1971	26	F	--	Kinsey 1986	http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/110689358; http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/126165
73	QLD	Wongaling Beach, Tully	18 Dec 1980	5	M	--	Kinsey 1986	http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/126165034
74	QLD	Barney Point Beach, Gladstone	20 Jan 1987	5	M	--	Lumley et al. 1988	4m tentacle; photo in Williamson et al., 1996: plate 9.70a, b
75	QLD	Yarrabah	Jan 2000	5	M		LG	Indigenous
76	QLD	Mission Beach: Wongaling	23 Mar 2003	7	M	1:15pm	LG	Local non-indigenous - Jarred Crook -- http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/03/24/1048354505551.html
77	QLD	Bamaga: Umagico	8 Jan 2006	7	F		LG	Indigenous -- paddling; screaming out of water; lucid, then respiratory failure 5 minutes; abdomen, both legs to ankles, one arm; pre-existing condition; nematocysts match Okinawa Chiro
IRUKANDJI FATALITIES
1	QLD	Hamilton Island, Whitsundays	30 Jan 2002	58	M	11:15am	Fenner & Hadok 2002	Richard Jordan – British tourist -- https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2002/177/7/fatal-envenomation-jellyfish-causing-irukandji-syndrome
2	QLD	Opal Reef, Port Douglas	31 Mar 2002	44	M		LG	Robert King – American tourist --
?3	WA	Elle’s Beach, S of Coral Bay	15 May 2013	41	F		LG	Suspected Irukandji, but unconfirmed -- Kathreen Ricketson – from Tasmania -- http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/canberra-man-still-missing-four-days-after-his-wife-died-snorkelling-off-coral-bay/story-fnhocxo3-1226646195828
?4	WA	Elle’s Beach, S of Coral Bay	15 May 2013	48	M		LG	Suspected Irukandji, but unconfirmed -- Rob Shugg – Kathreens husband -- http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/canberra-man-still-missing-four-days-after-his-wife-died-snorkelling-off-coral-bay/story-fnhocxo3-1226646195828

LITERATURE CITED:

Cleland, J. B. and R. V. Southcott. 1965. Injuries to Man from Marine Invertebrates in the Australian Region. Canberra, Commonwealth of Australia.

Currie, B. J. and S. P. Jacups. 2005. Prospective study of Chironex fleckeri and other box jellyfish stings in the “Top End” of Australia’s Northern Territory. Medical Journal of Australia 183(11/12): 631-636.

Fenner, P. J. and J. C. Hadok. 2002. Fatal envenomation by jellyfish causing Irukandji syndrome. Medical Journal of Australia 177(7): 362–363.

Kinsey, B. E. 1986. Barnes on Box Jellyfish. Townsville, Sir George Fisher Centre for Tropical Marine Studies, James Cook University.

Lumley, J., J. A. Williamson, P. J. Fenner, J. W. Burnett and D. M. Colquhoun. 1988. Fatal envenomation by Chironex fleckeri, the north Australian box jellyfish: the continuing search for lethal mechanisms. Medical Journal of Australia 148(10): 527-531, 533-534.

Williamson, J. A., P. J. Fenner, J. W. Burnett and J. Rifkin, Eds. 1996. Venomous and Poisonous Marine Animals: A Medical and Biological Handbook. Sydney, Australia, NSW University Press.