Are you considering picking up a motorhome hire from Cairns and thinking about your itinerary?
Then look no further and add this to your bucket list adventures!
Picture yourself surrounded by lush green rainforest, breathing in the rich, earthy smell of the forest floor mingled with the sweet scent of freshwater, bird calls filling the air. A gushing mountain stream cascades and bubbles before you, through enormous granite boulders into a series of rock pools – the cool, clear water enticing you in to enjoy a refreshing dip. Babinda Boulders, about an hour’s drive on a sealed road in your 2WD motorhome hire from Cairns and it’s like a little piece of paradise on earth.
But…what if we were to tell you that this beautiful place is thought by some to be haunted? Why? Probably because since 1959, eighteen lives have been lost here, seventeen of them young men. Draw your chair nearer friend, and we’ll tell you a story…
Long ago, when the world was new and the ancestor spirits still walked the earth, a young Yindinji woman named Oolana, lived near these pools with her elders and people. Soon after being promised to a respected elder called Waroonoo, she met a handsome young warrior called Dyga from a neighbouring community and they fell in love. Determined to be together, they fled into the wilderness, but Waroonoo sent a search party and they were captured. Dyga was dragged away, but Oolana escaped and, in her despair, threw herself into the Devil’s Pools. At that moment, the calm waters of the pools erupted into a swirling torrent of white foaming water and the ground burst open throwing huge boulders into the air marking the very place of her drowning. Today the water appears calm and peaceful, but Oolana’s spirit remains, waiting for a chance to pull young men into her foaming depths.
This dreaming story probably served as a warning to young Indigenous men to treat The Boulders area with caution. These days there are lots of signs to keep people safe instead. Most parts of the pools are perfectly safe, and perfect for a dip, but under certain conditions some sections become all bubbles and no buoyancy – a deadly combination! Apart from the pools themselves, you’ll love the all-ability walking trails along the creek and through the rainforest, plus there’s a picnic area, complete with BBQs and a playground.
This beautiful spot definitely deserves a place on your next Far North Queensland motorhome hire from Cairns holiday itinerary. Babinda Boulders is an easy day trip from Cairns (starting with a spectacular drive through sugarcane fields, banana plantations, and stunning mountain passes), or there are eight free unpowered campsites with toilets and cold showers (creek water) located 100m from the swimming holes. The nearest powered camping options are just 6km away in the lovely little RV-friendly town of Babinda.
If you are looking at motorhome hire from Cairns and would like to see what options of vehicles are available, get in touch to find out more. You can also check out our vehicle options here. This is such a beautiful place to check out while you are cruising around in your motorhome hire in northern Queensland!
