After seven people were stung by Irukandji jellyfish off the Fraser coast, there are fears they could travel further south.
Griffith University research shows the venomous jellyfish has cycles, when its population peaks.
It appears that peak is happening now, due to warmer waters.
“We do know they can survive summer temperatures you find in south east Qld but we don’t know and what we’re investigating at the moment is if they can actually survive in winter temperatures and establish populations down here.”
While their migration to Gold Coast waters seems unlikely, researchers can’t rule it out.
