Devil's Pool is a natural pool in a treacherous stretch of Babinda Creek where large granite boulders fill the creek bed. It is one of the main attractions of the Babinda Boulders scenic reserve, near

Babinda Babinda is a rural town and locality in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Babinda had a population of 1,253 people. Geography Babinda is located south of Cairns. The town is noted for its proximity to Queensla ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. Between 1959 and July 2023, 21 people have drowned at or near the pools. The local council urges visitors to stay within a designated swimming area and on paths out of cultural respect and to avoid loss of life.

Drownings

Signs warn of the dangers of swimming and climbing in the No Go Zone because the water is deep and fast flowing through narrow channels and over underwater rocks. Deaths occur by swimming at the site, others by falling in unexpectedly, with many drowning victims being wedged in an underwater rock "chute". The force of the moving water is too strong for people to swim against, pinning them underwater, and drowning them. In 2010 the

Cairns Regional Council The Cairns Region is a local government area in Far North Queensland, Queensland, Australia, centred on the regional city of Cairns. It was established in 2008 by the amalgamation of the City of Cairns and the Shires of Douglas and Mulgrave. ...

produced a report which was cited by the coroner examining the death of a man in that year at the Devil's Pool, stating that the number of deaths there totalled 17. In October 2020 the

Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-own ...

reported that the number of known drownings at this site in the past 50 years stood at 20.

Indigenous legend

In 2005, the Australia TV program ''

Message Stick A message stick is a graphic communication device traditionally used by Aboriginal Australians. The objects were carried by messengers over long distances and were used for reinforcing a verbal message. Although styles vary, they are generally ...

'' gave an account of the Pool through many interviews and testimonies of witnesses to investigate the prevalence of deaths of young male travellers over the years. The Devil's Pool is the site of the local indigenous tribe's legend, which states how the Babinda Boulders were formed. The tale is about Oolana, a young woman from the Yindinji Tribe. After being promised to a respected tribal elder, she met a handsome young warrior called Dyga from another tribe and fell in love. They fled their tribes and escaped into the wilderness to continue their affair. Elders searched for them and they were captured. Dyga was dragged away. Oolana escaped and was in despair. She threw herself into the Devil's Pools and her anguished cries turned into the pools torrents. Locals believe that Oolana's spirit still haunts the Devils Pools, pulling young men to their untimely deaths.

References

{{coord , -17.34333, 145.87157, display=title Landforms of Far North Queensland Tourist attractions in Far North Queensland Swimming venues in Australia Bathing in Australia Natural pools Babinda