Tourists save man from drowning at Babinda Boulders

The actions of a quick-thinking tradie have been credited with saving the life of a swimmer at the Babinda Boulders, who was pulled from the creek after being discovered motionless on the bottom.

Emergency services at the Babinda Boulders. File picture: Brendan Radke

The actions of a quick-thinking tradie from Brisbane have been credited with saving the life of a swimmer at the Babinda Boulders, who was pulled from the creek after being discovered motionless on the bottom.

At 2.10pm Queensland Police Service and paramedics were called to the jungle pool south of Cairns following reports a 32-year-old man was unconscious and in need of medical attention.

At the popular creek on Friday, a witness to the incident said a swimmer noticed something under the water and then asked a child to borrow his googles before going down for a better look.

“She then yelled out that there is a man down here,” the witness said.

The woman attempted to pull the man up herself but couldn’t get him up and that's when another man stepped in, the witness said.

The main pool at the Babinda Boulders is considered safe for swimming. Picture: Peter Carruthers

“(He) was first to respond, swimming down two metres to the bottom of the swimming hole and pulling the man up onto the bank,” she said.

“He commenced CPR and asked people to call emergency services straight away.

“I truly believe he deserves some recognition as well as the females that initially helped.

“They are the true heroes of this story, as if it wasn’t for them, (the swimmer) probably wouldn’t have made it.”

Once the swimmer was out of the water, lifesaving directions were relayed to civilians at the scene before paramedics arrived.

A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman said crews on arrival assessed the man, who was in a critical condition, and the rescue helicopter was called.

The incident unfolded at the main Babinda Boulders pool.

#FinalUpdate - One patient was airlifted to Cairns Hospital following an earlier post immersion incident in #Babinda

— Queensland Ambulance (@QldAmbulance) January 10, 2025

Swimming is permitted within the calm waters of the main swimming area and further upstream of Babinda Creek at the Hippy Pool, however downstream areas such as the Devil’s Pool are no-go zones due to the deadly movement of fast-flowing water through narrow rock formations.

The boulders is a major Far North nature attraction, however between 1959 and July 2023, 21 people have drowned at or near the pools.

The man was found by another swimmer on the bottom of the main Boulders pool. Picture: Peter Carruthers

At 3.46pm on Friday the swimmer was taken to Babinda Hospital in a life-threatening condition before being transferred to Cairns.

Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service staff confirmed the patient had been transferred to the Cairns Hospital.

On Saturday the man was recovering from his ordeal and at the time was considered to be in a stable condition.

Originally published as Tourists save man from drowning at Babinda Boulders