The Boulders Legend

Our home in beautiful, tropical Babinda is also the site of Babinda Creek.  This picturesque stream winds its way down from the jungle-clad mountains, through rocky gorges, eventually joining the Russell River which flows into the Pacific Ocean.

Babinda Creek has a number of popular swimming holes which are frequented by locals and visitors alike, especially during the hot and humid summer months leading up to the onslaught of the annual wet season.  There are lovely parklands bordering the creek where we can take the children and enjoy swimming and picnics under the shade of the lush tropical rainforest trees.

However, despite its scenic beauty and seeming tranquility, a portion of Babinda Creek known as the Boulders, and in particular the place known as Devil's Pool, has an unpleasant reputation.  During the wet season, the peaceful creek becomes a raging torrent that seems to hold an alluring fascination for the young and adventurous, who despite the warnings, still take the risk of entering the creek for a moment of excitement.  Unfortunately, there is a long and documented history of people, particularly young males, who have entered into the creek during these dangerous times, tragically, only to lose their lives.

Our Aboriginal culture has an ancient legend that explains this high incidence of young males who have entered in for their last swim.  Some scoff at the legend as primitive superstition, while others are not so bold as to discount it.  The legend is printed below, and you can make up your own mind as to whether it be fact or fiction.

The Legend of The Boulders

A long time ago, the Yidinji tribe were the sole occupants of the Babinda Valley.  The isolation created by the surrounding hills and jungle made visitors rare.

Hovever, there came a time when a wandering tribe entered the lush green valley and was made welcome by the Yidinji people, who were in a state of celebration.

It seems an elder of the Yidinji tribe named Waroonoo was about to marry the beautiful Oolana.  The marriage had been arranged to combine the knowledge and wisdom of Waroonoo with the youth and beauty of Oolana.

The wedding went ahead as planned, but the following day it became obvious that something was wrong.  Oolana had disappeared, as had Dyga, a handsome young member of the visiting tribe.  A search party comprising both tribes searched the area for the missing lovers.

It was not long before they were found camping by a stream running through Churichillam, now known as Mount Bartle Frere.

After a furious struggle Dyga was captured, but not Oolana.  Overcome with emotion, she threw herself into the stream.

From then on, the previously peaceful waters erupted into swirling torrents of white water as the ground burst open, spewing forth huge boulders to mark the place of the terrible happenings.

Aboriginal legend says the spirit of Oolana remains in Devil's Pool to this very day, calling to any young single male visitors to the area who may go to the mysterious waters.

Due to the high incident of fatalities at the Boulder, warning signs, like the one pictured above, have been posted by the authorities at various locations along the bank of Babinda Creek.  However, there are still those who are prepared to take the risk and ignore the cautions.   Pictured on the right, we see two young male backpacking tourists contemplating whether to heed the call of Oolana and take the plunge into Devils Pool directly below them.  But then, perhaps they don't know of the legend of the Boulders, or maybe, like many, they are cynical about the ancient legends of the Australian Aboriginals.  If scepticism is the cause of their boldness, what does one make of the following article and photo which appeared in "The Cairns Post" (some time after 1983)?  Again, you be the judge!

Face in Photo of Boulders Pool

By Staff Reporter Brian Bolton

The dangers of swimming at the Babinda Boulders are well documented. There have been numerous drownings over the years.  A check with the Babinda Courthouse, whose records date only to 1959, document the 11 deaths, the last in 1983.

The manner in which those who have met their death and the legend that attempts to explain it are both incredible and intriguing.  The notorious Devil’s Pool at the Boulders has been the scene of the recovery of some of the drowning victims and the pile of rocks in the centre of it add to its eeriness.

The reputation and mystique of the Boulders has laid in the shadows for some time, but for me, it was resurrected last week.

The Manager of the Coles Holiday Units in Cairns, Mr Tom Younger, showed me a photo which his friend, Mr Robbie Ward, of Melbourne, had taken while on holiday in Cairns in June/July 1979.  During a visit to the Boulders, he took the snapshot, which shows a narrow passage between two walls of rock.  Along the passage, water is running.

Within the photo, in the water, is a human face.

It could well be an illusion of light and water, but it is so realistic one can only stare at it repeatedly and remark on its resemblance to a human face.

Most of the staff at “The Cairns Post” were taken aback by what they saw.  If they were shown just the photo, they noticed the face and commented on how good the effect of the face in the water was.  However, when they discovered where it was taken, knowing the legend, some of the comments turned from amazement to acknowledgement of an alterior (sic) feeling.   Some who viewed the apparition practically greeted it with a shudder.

The photo was taken about a week after a man had died at the boulders.

Mr Wards mother, Mrs Mavis Ward, resurrected the photo recently and noticed the face for the first time.

Now, as if that wasn't enough, one day while we were all down at the local creek having a swim, Mat stood on a rock and noticed something strange about it.  It is pictured below.  Can you see the face?  We brought the rock home where we now keep it to show our visitors.  If nothing else, it makes a good conversation piece and adds interest to our telling of the legend of Devil's Pool and the fate of those who went for a swim, but never returned. 

Perhaps all this talk of legends and spirits, calling young male visitors to a fateful swim, has caused you to be a little fearful about venturing anywhere near Babinda Creek at all?  Well, let us put you at ease, because, as we pointed out at the beginning of this page, there are many beautiful spots along the creek where it is quite safe to go swimming, and people do all the time, as evidenced by the photo above, which shows a mother and child enjoying the cool, clear waterhole adjacent to the picnic area.  We swim there as well - as do many of our visitors.  The danger is swimming at the Boulders while the creek is in flood during our tropical wet season, and in particular, at the area known as Devil's Pool. 

Actually, it's a pretty foolhardy thing to be swimming in any creek in Tropical North Queensland during the height of our wet season, let alone at Devil's Pool.