Page 15 - eMuse Vol.9 No.09

Devils Pool

Danger lurkes where young men are lured

to their death by a dreamtime spirit

The picturesque wonderland of Queensland’s tropic north panion did not. The witness, a local visiting the pool, had snapped
is full of beautiful places but beauty is sometimes deceptive a photo of the pair as they stood on the rock high above the water’s
with traps for the unwary. One such place is Babinda Boul- edge just moments earlier.
ders, aka Devil’s Pool, Babinda Creek, 58 kms south of Cairns. In another case SES (State Emergency Service) member Dulcie
(Babinda means “water flowing over rocks.) Schnitzerling, tells how 24 year old Peter McGann died at the pool
Some claim it is the most haunted place in Australia . Since in 1979 when he “jumped across the short space between the
1959, eighteen people have perished there — nearly all of rocks, slipped and went missing”.
them young men . The last recorded death at the Devil’s Pool was that of Tasma-
One ignores the clear warnings at great personal risk. An nian Naval Seaman James Bennett in 2009. Other recent victims in-
official sign reads: clude an Adelaide tourist and a businessman from Sydney in 2006.
“This creek has claimed many lives. Wet rocks are ex- It appears that visitors, rather than locals, fall victim to the seem-
tremely slippery. Beware of rapidly rising water levels. Do ingly cursed pool .
not swim in main creek downstream of this point. This track It is the site of a Dreaming legend, the tragic love story of beauti-
leads to lookouts only. For your safety keep to walking track ful young Oolana and a handsome young man from another tribe.
provided.” Oolana is chosen to marry the well-respected tribal Elder Wa-
According to local Aboriginals, if you disrespect the sacred site, roonoo. After the pair are married, another tribe wanders into their
the site will disrespect you. This appears to be illustrated by the valley and Oolana falls in love with a handsome young man from
story of one such young man who was seen by others showing his the visiting tribe. His name is Dyga. As their forbidden love blos-
disrespect by kicking the plaque that commemorates those who soms, Oolana and Dyga run away together. When the two tribes
have lost their lives at the pool . As he kicked the plaque, he slipped, learn of their disappearance, they go in search of them…they find
fell into the pool and drowned. the couple at Babinda Boulders .
Reckless behaviour and treacherous currents may account for The lovers are soon captured by members of their respective
a number of drownings, however, the high number of deaths of tribes. As Dyga is dragged away, Oolana breaks free of her cap-
young males in this one swimming hole seems rather extraordi- tors and, knowing she will never be with her true love ever again,
nary. Especially when you consider that not all the victims were ac- throws herself into the deep waterhole.
tually swimming in the water at the time of their untimely demise. Today, it appears that Oolana is still searching for her lost love,
In one instance, a young couple stood together on the rock plat- luring young men to their deaths in the icy waters of the Devil’s
form admiring the view when, according to one witness, without Pool .
warning the waters suddenly rose, sweeping both into the water. So decide for yourself are there natural reasons people drown
While the girl was lucky to survive, unfortunately, her male com- here or is Oolana seeking her lover?
September 2020 eMuse 15