Babinda Falls: Specialist teams flown in and man rescued after night stranded at popular FNQ swimming hole

A stranded bushwalker is “lucky to have survived” after spending the night in knee-deep water, unable to move for fear of plunging down a 40m drop.

A stranded bushwalker is “lucky to have survived” after spending the night in knee-deep water, unable to move for fear of plunging down a 40m drop.

Specialist teams rescued a man on Monday after he spent the night stuck in the water at Babinda Falls.

A party of three walkers set out on a three-hour hike on Sunday afternoon from Babinda Boulders, and tried to cross the creek at Babinda Falls.

One of the party, a 32-year-old man, fell into the water and was swept downstream.

Police said a woman in the party was able to walk to where she could get mobile reception and phone emergency services.

Babinda Falls, looking towards Mount Bellenden Ker, in Wooroonooran National Park. Picture: Matthew Newton

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services flew in a team of highly-experienced Level 2 Swiftwater Technicians via the 510 rescue helicopter on Sunday afternoon.

They contacted the man and stayed with him overnight.

Police Senior Sergeant Edward Lukin said police considered trying to extract the man via helicopter on Sunday afternoon, but they decided to hold off until Monday because of fading light.

Further Swiftwater technicians and SES personnel were sent in at 6.20am on Monday to provide extra resources.

“He spent the night standing in the water, knee-deep. He’s very lucky to survive this incident,” Senior Sergeant Lukin said.

“We were very concerned about his welfare and as daybreak came one of the crews managed to get close to him.

“He was still strong in the arms but his legs were failing.”

With daylight, crews finally managed to pull the man out onto the bank, then got him across to the other side of the creek for the helicopter to land and fly him out.

Rescue crews at Babinda Boulders where the man was rescued after being trapped overnight. Picture: Supplied

That happened around 12.30pm today and he was taken for medical assessment and attention.

The other hikers were uninjured.

“There were surprisingly very little injuries for the ordeal they have gone through,” Senior Sergeant Lukin said.

“We’ve had a huge amount of water this year, and the terrain up there is extremely slippery and it’s only through sheer luck this man didn’t go through a 40-metre drop that was just down from him.

“We ask people if they are travelling and if they visit these areas, by all means do so, but be aware of your limitations.”

This incident follows a startling report commissioned in the wake of the tragic drowning of a teen a year ago, revealing the hidden dangers of the Babinda Boulders further downstream from the falls.

The Boulders are a notoriously dangerous location, with 21 lives lost in that section of the river system since 1916.

The report, presented to Cairns Regional Council, showed the risk was always present in sections of the popular swimming spot.

Originally published as Babinda Falls: Specialist teams flown in and man rescued after night stranded at popular FNQ swimming hole