Queensland waterfalls: Warnings after spate of drowning deaths

A senior North Queensland academic is warning of the hidden dangers of waterfalls ahead of the Australia Day long weekend after a shocking number of recent fatalities.

North Queenslanders flocked to Little (pictured) and Big Crystal Creeks between Townsville and Ingham and other regional watering holes to escape the extreme heat over the weekend. There was been a recent spate of injuries or death at popular Queensland waterfalls and waterholes leading to warnings ahead of the Australia Day long weekend. Picture: Cameron Bates

A senior North Queensland academic is warning of the hidden dangers of waterfalls ahead of the Australia Day long weekend after a shock number of recent fatalities.

In addition to the cautionary messaging from James Cook University, Queensland Police has also issued an alert to Queensland boaties and recreational swimmers to be extra careful over the weekend given the possibility of changeable weather conditions, particularly on Sunday.

Richard Franklin, professor of public health at JCU, said he was surprised by the number of recent deaths at waterfalls and waterholes.

Hero Sunshine Coast teen Beau Liddell drowned attempting to save the life of Honor Ward, also 17 and also from the same region, after she fell at Wappa Falls on Sunday.

The double tragedy occurred after the drowning of a 30-year-old international tourist at Josephine Falls, about 30km south of Cairns, on January 13.

Ingham high school student Carter Bates leaps into a popular swimming hole at Little Crystal Creek in Townsville over the weekend. Picture: Cameron Bates

The notorious double-drop waterfall has seen anumber of deaths and is known for rapidly rising water and dangerous off-limit areas.

In late December, Brisbane man Srinivasan Ganai Rajasekaran died after falling into a popular swimming hole at Clamshell Falls south of Cairns.

“While many of us know about the risks of drowning in the ocean, rivers are actually more deadly,” Professor Franklin said.

“Over the past 22 years, slightly more people have drowned in rivers and creeks than any other body of water.”

Figures from 2022–23 reveal that 76 people died in rivers and creeks, compared to 75 at beaches during the same period.

Following a spate of recent fatal accidents, Richard Franklin, professor of public health at JCU, is warning of the drowning danger posed by waterfalls as people flock outdoors and look to cool off over the Australia Day long weekend. Picture: Alix Sweeney

Professor Franklin said waterfalls were particularly dangerous because cascading water often carved out deep pools.

“Where the waterfall hits the pool, it creates turbulence and currents,” he said.

“If large volumes of water are falling, the pressure can be enough to push people underneath; Currents can also carry people underneath a rock ledge and trap them.”

He said there were multiple other danger factors associated with waterfalls, including slippery rocks, lack of lifeguards, distance from emergency services and the “popularity factor”.

“The more inexperienced people who go, the higher the chance of something going wrong,” he said.

“Social media reels of influencers at beautiful locations encourage more people to seek out secluded waterfalls.”

Beau Liddell and Honor Ward both perished at Wappa Falls on the Gold Coast on Sunday. Picture Supplied

Professor Franklin said there had been a “surge in ‘selfie’ deaths worldwide in recent years”. “Some of these deaths take place at waterfalls, usually when visitors jump the fence or make their way to the lip of the waterfall before slipping and dying.”

With potential thunderstorm forecast for North Queensland for as soon as Sunday, QPS Marine Rescue Queensland (MRQ), Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) and Seqwater all emphasised the importance of water safety, “particularly during the high-risk weather season”.

QPS Acting Superintendent Mark Bradford said that while the state’s waterways were expected to be busy over the long weekend, “severe weather could strike suddenly, creating dangerous and unpredictable conditions on both coastal and inland waterways”.

MRQ is Queensland’s first statewide, State Government-funded volunteer marine rescue service aimed at saving lives at sea and supporting those on or near the water.

MRQ Acting Chief Officer Mark Anderson said the Australia Day long weekend can be one of the busiest times for marine rescue volunteers across the state.

Between 2019 to 2024, 64 people lost their lives in boating-related incidents.

Originally published as Queensland waterfalls: Warnings after spate of drowning deaths