Jellyfish populations going 'absolutely bananas' all around Australia

Jellyfish populations are booming across the country amid the especially hot temperatures, with swarms of the stinging creatures plaguing popular beach spots.

In Victoria, large numbers of the lion's mane species have been seen in the shallows at busy beaches, particularly around Melbourne's bayside suburbs and around the Mornington Peninsula.

Lifeguards have reported treating 40 people for jellyfish stings over the past five weeks, which is the number of people they treated for stings over the previous financial year, according to Life Saving Victoria.

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However, more than 100 people have taken to social media to report being stung at the Victorian beaches.

Most stings can be treated by washing the area and applying an ice pack.

Jellyfish expert and biologist Dr Lisa-Ann Gershwin has confirmed jellyfish numbers are especially at a high at the moment.

"We're being inundated with jellyfish right across the country right now," she told 3AW.

"We're seeing lots and lots of jellyfish... they are just going absolutely bananas."

Dr Gershwin said the surge in jellyfish numbers was not "unprecedented", and happened from time to time, but was "pretty gobsmacking".

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She said the country's high temperatures were behind the larger populations, noting the sea creatures bloomed in warmer months.

However, the biologist said Australia's extreme heat spike at the moment was likely upping up the creatures' metabolism, causing them to grow faster and breed more.