Tragic find in search for hiker missing after falling at Babinda Falls

Emergency services have made a tragic discovery, bringing an end to an extensive search and rescue operation after a hiker fell into water at Babinda Falls and failed to resurface.

Emergency services have made a tragic discovery, bringing an end to an extensive search and rescue operation after a hiker went into water at Babinda Falls and failed to resurface.

Around 2pm on Sunday, December 15, an international tourist, 29, was reported missing after he went into the water and failed to resurface.

A search was immediately launched, involving police, SES, Queensland Fire Department Swift Water Rescue crews and the Rescue 510 helicopter.

The search was suspended overnight and resumed early this morning.

At around 11am, the body of a man was located in the water by a Swift Water Resuce team.

Formal identification is underway to determine his identity and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

Emergency services personnel stage a complex rescue operation at the Babinda Boulders swimming hole at Babinda Creek, about two hours downstream from where a man fell into Babinda Falls and didn't resurface. Picture: Brendan Radke

Queensland Police Service Senior Sergeant Rob Campbell said the man reportedly dived into the water at the slides section of Babinda Falls and did not resurface.

His three hiking companions saw him go into the water and raised the alarm.

He said a body was found nearby the place the man was last seen yesterday, about two hours’ hike from the start of the trail.

“I’m unsure if there was a delay but the area is notorious for having bad phone reception,” he said.

Senior Sergeant Rob Campbell says that police have located the body of a 29 year old man, who went missing while swimming at Babinda Falls, about 2 hours walk upstream from the Babinda Boulders swimming hole. Picture: Brendan Radke

Sen Sgt Campbell said the trail was not maintained by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, and was known to be “treacherous”, particularly when it had been raining.

“The rainfall has increased the water flow and, at this time of year, being an unmaintained trail, there’s a lot of things that contribute to it being a rough area,” Sergeant Campbell said.

“This is a quite treacherous terrain at this time of year because of the rainfall and water coming through.

“It is not an authorised trail so it is not well maintained and kept, and it is rainforest as well so all of those things combined can be, at times, a treacherous place to be.

Babinda Falls in Wooroonooran National Park. Getting to the falls is an approximately 3km hike with multiple creek crossings starting from the Goldfield Trail at the Babinda Boulders carpark.

“It is used from time to time and we have had occasions in the past of other incidences in the past similar to this.

“We are very mindful that people do use this as a swimming hole plus for recreation.”

Babinda Falls is at the end of a 3km hike, which starts from the popular Babinda Boulders waterhole, about 65km south of Cairns.

Sergeant Campbell said police were liaising with international counterparts to locate and inform the man’s family, and could not share his country of origin before the formal identification was complete.

On Sunday, police and other emergency service crews were called to an area near Babinda Falls after reports a man hiking with three others fell from the falls into the water and did not resurface.

At 4.30pm on Sunday a Queensland Fire Department spokesman said they had limited information but they were informed by police a person had possibly fallen and were commencing a search of the area.

“We received reports someone had fallen from the falls but there is extensive reception issues up there, so information is limited,” the spokesman said.

The QFD emergency dashboard showed five vehicles on scene with a further two en route and an emergency helicopter had reportedly landed at the Babinda showgrounds.

At 5pm a QFD spokesman confirmed the SES was assisting with the search.

“We have four swift water crews at the scene now,” he said.

Babinda Falls in the dry season, looking towards Mount Bellenden Ker, in Wooroonooran National Park.

“We still just have the initial report of one person who has fallen.”

It is understood the Rescue 510 helicopter was stood down due to technical issues and swift water teams attempted to reach the area on foot before the search was called off at 6pm in failing light.

The Babinda Boulders swimming hole at Babinda Creek, about two hours downstream from where the man fell into the water and didn't resurface. Picture: Brendan Radke

On Sunday evening, Senior Sergeant Greg Giles confirmed a male tourist who was swimming at Babinda Falls had fallen down the waterfall and failed to resurface.

“He was with three friends at the time, he went under the water and has not resurfaced,” Sergeant Giles said.

“At this stage we have not been able to reach the falls due to fading light and the late call we received in regards to this matter.”

“We will begin again tomorrow morning at first light, we will be walking up to the falls to see if we can locate this person.”

Sergeant Giles said it was very important for people, especially those unfamiliar with the area, to take care around waterfalls.

“The rocks can be very slippery and makes it very hard to make creek crossings,” he said.

Previously a Queensland Police Service spokesman confirmed there were reports of a missing person but due to reception issues, details were still scarce.

“Police and other services are co-ordinating a search but we are still unsure as to what has happened but we do have reports that a person is missing,” he said.

SES personnel participate in a large scale search and rescue mission from the Babinda Boulders carpark for a man who fell from Babinda Falls, about two hours upstream from The Boulders on Babinda Creek, and didn't resurface. The search resumed Monday morning after it was called off due to fading light in the rainforest. Picture: Brendan Radke

Babinda Falls lies up stream from Babinda Boulders, a beloved but tragedy-tinged swimming spot that has recorded 21 drowning deaths since 1916.

The dangerous sections of the creek are restricted areas.

Recent deaths prompted a safety review from Cairns Regional Council in 2023, with a report presented to councillors outlining the safety measures undertaken by council workers.

Areas including the Devil’s Pool and the Chute were deceptively treacherous, Division 1 councillor Brett Moller said during the meeting.

As part of the plan, four key measures were adopted to improve visitor safety, Mr Moller said.

“They were a measuring component,” he said.

“So we actually have data now on the amount of visitation, the time of day and when (people visit).

“We’ve taken corrective measures and that’s the graphic, more informative signage that shows what happens if you go into those dangerous areas like the Devil’s Pool, the Washing Machine and the Chute, where you get stuck in cavities and how you get stuck.

“The other component is a risk management framework where we regularly now meet with SES, QFES, Queensland Police Service and there’s an internal working group … (and) our marketing and comms team as well,” Mr Moller said at the time.

The trail into Babinda Falls involves several creek crossings and is about 3km hike, starting from the Goldfield Trail at the Babinda Boulders carpark.

In recent days the region has seen extensive rainfall from thunderstorms, including 66mm on Friday and 94mm on Saturday at Mount Bartle Frere.

Originally published as Tragic find in search for hiker missing after falling at Babinda Falls