The blue ringed octopus is a beautiful, but deadly creature which can be found in rock pools.

You should NEVER put your hands in rock pools as blue ringed octopus are extremely well camouflaged amongst the rocks. They are generally timid and will only display their blue rings when threatened. Their bite may not be felt, but within minutes symptoms include numbness of the lips and tongue, difficulty in breathing, followed by complete paralysis of the breathing muscles. In the event of a suspected bite, seek immediate medical attention.

Watch this short video to see how they change colour.

Bluebottles (Portuguese Man o'War) are a very common stinger on NSW beaches, usually found washed up in the warmer months when a north easterly wind is blowing. See the long stringy part? That is the part that stings you.

What do we do if we get stung? You can wash off the tentacle with sea water and then run hot water where you were stung (no hotter than you can tolerate). If you can’t get hot water straightaway, you can apply cold water or ice to the sting.

There are many types of sharks around Australia, and most are harmless to humans. Sharks hold an important role in its ecosystem, and should be respected but not feared.

Here are some simple tips to avoid encountering a shark at the beach:

- Avoid swimming at dawn and dusk
- Avoid swimming at river mouths or in murky, discoloured water
- Avoid swimming in or around schools of baitfish