Tributes for Yaar Stav who died at Isabella Falls

Grieving friends have told how a water-loving marine biologist and volunteer teacher had plans to become an Australian citizen before he fell from a Queensland waterfall and tragically died.

Yaar Stav called Cairns North home and wanted to become an Australian citizen.

Grieving friends have told how a water-loving marine biologist and volunteer teacher had plans to become an Australian citizen before he fell from a Cairns waterfall and tragically died.

Mr Stav, 26, was killed after falling from rocks at Isabella Falls in Edmonton on Sunday afternoon.

The Israeli man had been in Cairns for almost two years, and planned to become an Australian citizen and eventually – live on a boat.

Mr Stav, who was employed as an aquaculture technician and a volunteer math teacher for at-risk youth, quickly made friends when he moved to the Far North.

“He was very caring and brought a lot of happiness,” explained friend Neta Rosenkrontz, flanked by Mr Stav’s fellow friends, Naik Levac and Ream Shimoni – together, supporting each other in their grief.

Yaar Stav loved all things water-related.

The trio found out about the death from his family who are still in Israel.

“He brought a lot of light to every room he came into. He loved to dance. He was always going to festivals and dancing with his friends,” Ms Rosenkrontz said.

The trio said their friend loved all things aquatic – including fishing and surfing, and was also thinking about growing a large garden.

“He had everything planned out here,” Ms Rosenkrontz said.

“He was working through his skill visa. He wanted to buy a boat and property here in Cairns. To live as an Australian citizen.

“Everybody loved him.”

Cairns Rabbi Ari Rubin said Mr Stav was “really sweet. He came to all of our events and was close with a lot of the locals”.

Authorities said on Sunday Mr Stav had been climbing rocks at the multi-tier waterfall when he fell backwards into the water.

Paramedics attempted to resuscitate him but he could not be saved.

Mr Stav’s death is the third to occur at Isabella Falls in the past two years.

Only four months ago Earlville teen Christian Laska, 17, died after being injured at Isabella Falls, and in May 2022 a 19-year-old Manunda woman was killed at the waterway.

On Tuesday, Cairns councillor Brett Moller said it was time to restrict access to the waterway — but not close it fully.

Newly-elected Division 2 Councillor Matthew Tickner agreed closing the area would not be a silver bullet to prevent further tragedies.

A safety audit of the waterfall is under way, as is Cairns Regional Council’s development of a broader aquatic strategy.

Originally published as Tributes for Yaar Stav who died at Isabella Falls