More than 250 people a year are being charged in Queensland for taking dangerous risks, with many arrested after posting their stunts on social media.

Key points: 1386 people have been charged in the last five years with "unregulated high-risk activity"

1386 people have been charged in the last five years with "unregulated high-risk activity" The charge includes activities such as base-jumping, and jumping off bridges

The charge includes activities such as base-jumping, and jumping off bridges Experts say social media gives offenders a platform to share their stunts

Queensland police figures obtained by the ABC show 1,386 offenders have been charged in the past five years for acts deemed as "unregulated high-risk activities", such as base-jumping and skydiving off buildings.

In the 2017-2018 financial year, 254 people in Queensland faced more than 272 charges between them.

Criminal lawyer Bill Potts has represented some of the offenders and said this type of "boastful behaviour" made enforcement easier for police.

Thrill-seekers overseas have lost their lives as a result of social media stunts ( Instagram: Wu Yongning )

"They're not just merely risking their lives, but the lives of others and certainly causing havoc for both building owners and also emergency service operations," Mr Potts said.

"More often than not, they're wearing helmets that have a GoPro or similar cameras on them, and the police have to do very little more than produce the evidence that they filmed themselves."

Offenders charged in 2017-2018 financial year for acts deemed as "unregulated high-risk activities": Region 2017-18 North Brisbane 46 South Brisbane 31 Capricornia 19 Mackay 16 Sunshine Coast 4 Wide Bay-Burnett 8 Far North 29 Mount Isa 2 Townsville 15 Gold Coast 15 Logan 6 Darling Downs 14 Ipswich 15 Moreton 7 South West 27 Queensland 254 Source: Queensland Police Service

The figures show 30 per cent of the Queensland offences in the past year were committed in the Brisbane region while a further 15 per cent of them were committed in the state's far north.

Dozens of risk-takers were also charged in Ipswich, Townsville and Mackay.

Axel Bruns, a social media expert from the Queensland University of Technology, said these offences simply had not existed before social media gave the stunt people a platform to publish on.

"Obviously they're documenting for themselves what they're doing, they're sharing that quite openly, so of course police can see that and act on it," Dr Bruns said.

"There might be a certain amount of peer pressure there as well, because you see the feedback that you're getting via shares and likes and engagements, comments and so on."

No offenders jailed in Queensland

According to Queensland law, parachuting, hang-gliding, base-jumping, or abseiling off a building — as well as climbing up or down the outside of a building or structure — is illegal.

While the maximum penalty is 12 months in jail, Mr Potts said that, to date, no offenders had been imprisoned.

"It's generally dealt with by way of fines, but I foresee a time when repeat offenders who, despite the warnings of the court and the penalties, decide they know better," Mr Potts said.

"In reality there is only a split second between that good story and a eulogy."

Some thrill-seekers have 'little respect for the law'

In July this year, American thrill-seeker Jackson Coe was found dead at the base of a building in New York, while 26-year-old Chinese "rooftopper" Wu Yongning also plunged to his death after falling from a 62-storey building in November 2017.

Sorry, this video has expired Chinese "rooftopper" Wu Yongning.

YouTube prankster Luke Erwin faced court in Brisbane earlier this year after uploading a video of himself jumping off the Goodwill Bridge.

Despite being fined $1,200 for the stunt, Mr Erwin addressed the media outside court and encouraged people to subscribe to his YouTube channel, where he has continued to post content since being convicted.

YouTube prankster Luke Erwin (rear) after facing court in Brisbane. ( Instagram: Luke Erwin )

Dr Bruns said those attempting to maximise their engagement with these types of posts on social media appeared to have little respect for the law.

"They have to engage in ever more crazy stunts, ever more extreme behaviour in order to continue to get those like and shares," Dr Bruns said.

The Australia BASE Association has long maintained hosting BASE jumping events would give those who wanted to jump off buildings the chance to do so safely and legally.

Experts say peer pressure on social media may encourage thrill-seekers to push limits. ( Instagram: Jackson Coe )

The group's website states: "With there being nowhere that BASE jumping is currently permitted in Australia, this often leads Australian BASE jumpers to just jump off whatever they can find without gaining permission first".

"This is the only choice they have if they want to ensure their jumping remains as safe as possible by getting regular practice," it said.

Four experienced jumpers were fined during construction of the Abian Tower, near Brisbane's Botanic Gardens, in 2016.

The group, who had worn safety harnesses to climb the crane, were each fined $450 after pleading guilty to engaging in the high-risk activity.

Court documents detailed the months of preparation that had gone into the jump and said it "was planned to the highest degree".

Since July, Queensland police have charged an additional 48 offenders on 50 separate charges relating to high-risk activities.