Algal bloom information 'inconsistent', amid survey of health impacts of the bloom

Kirsty Whitehead and her son Jackson Baker felt the effects of the harmful algal bloom in their home town of Victor Harbor. (ABC News: Trent Murphy) A disability advocate says algal bloom public health information was "inaccessible" and "inconsistent" with what she and her son experienced. Volunteer experts surveyed more than 200 people who reported symptoms beyond the SA government's health advice. SA Health is studying algal bloom-related hospitalisations. Link copiedShareShare articleIn the peak of South Australia's algal bloom outbreak, asthmatic Victor Harbor resident Jackson Baker was coughing so much every day it hurt. The harmful algal bloom was first detected on his coastal town's shore in March 2025, before it spread across the state's coast. Since then, varying levels of algal bloom species, including Karenia cristata and Karenia mikimotoi, have caused discoloured foam and water on beaches, along with airborne particles which can cause flu-like symptoms for those close by. For Mr Baker, it stopped him from swimming, fishing and whale watching at the beach which he said have been crucial to his mental health routine. He said low Karenia counts near his home meant he was coughing less, but his fear of the beach remained. "Since the algae happened I just don't feel comfortable swimming in there," he said. Kirsty Whitehead said she found the health advice about the algal boom inaccessible and inconsistent. (ABC News: Trent Murphy) "I actually love doing boogie boarding … I haven't done it since." The 18-year-old has the genetic condition neurofibromatosis, an intellectual disability as well as other health conditions. Mr Baker and his mother Kirsty Whitehead said public health information about the bloom had been "inaccessible". "There has definitely been a gap in inclusive information such as easy read … which is such a big tool that we use when it comes to someone who has cognitive issues and intellectual disability," she said. Kirsty Whitehead said she did not think the health advice honestly reflected some of the realities locals were experiencing. (ABC News: Trent Murphy) The SA government's easy read format presents information in plain language, short sentences and can include pictures to support the meaning of words. Ms Whitehead claimed she could not find an easy read version of health information from the state government until January 2026. SA Health told ABC News tailored communications materials could take longer to publish as all content is thoroughly reviewed to ensure it remains accurate. Ms Whitehead also said she believed health advice was "inconsistent" with the experiences from the local community. Originally, SA Health advice stated that algal particles could cause short-term skin and eye irritation, cough and shortness of breath. Dead octopuses washed up on Basham Beach near Victor Harbor. (ABC News) The advice was updated in late 2025 for people with asthma to carry their reliever medication. Ms Whitehead said both she and her son had experienced headaches during the height of the algal bloom, a symptom not listed in official health advice. "The messaging was inconsistent, it was unclear and I don't think it honestly reflected some of the real realities of what people were feeling and experiencing," Ms Whitehead said. "It was underplaying, especially with the election that was coming. "(The SA government) would say that everything was fine … whereas living it every day, it definitely wasn't." In the wake of the bloom, a group of volunteer experts in public health, data analysis, ecology and marine science created The Algal Bloom Shed. Jacqueline Stephens said initially, there was nowhere for South Australians to report their symptoms. (ABC News: Daniel Taylor) The group wanted to collate human and pet symptoms not "captured in other healthcare settings". "There was a lot of public concern about potential health impacts," epidemiologist and Flinders University public health researcher Jacqueline Stephens told ABC News. "People clearly wanted to report (their symptoms) but had nowhere to put it." The Shed opened an anonymous survey online which received 235 submissions for humans and 26 for pets between November last year and February this year. Of the symptoms experienced by humans, about 59 per cent of respondents had a scratchy cough, 48 per cent had a sore throat and almost 38 per cent had a headache. The survey recorded when people experienced the symptoms and where, with most submissions coming from metropolitan Adelaide beaches. Associate Professor Stephens described the respondent's symptoms as "low-grade" and "transient" which she said mirrored the impact of algal blooms overseas. However the epidemiologist acknowledged some people could have more serious responses and advised them to seek medical attention. "We can't say for certain that the symptoms people have reported into the system are actually caused by the algal bloom," she sa

Algal bloom information 'inconsistent', amid survey of health impacts of the bloom

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