The Devil’s Pool
Local legend: The cool waters of the Babinda Boulders habour many local aboriginal legends and stories.
On first glance the small town of Babinda, south of Cairns, may to be nothing more than a sugar mill, pub and a few houses. If you look a bit deeper into the area, you will discover it contains some of the region’s most special treasures.
While naturally traquil and beautiful, local aboriginal legend paints a more tragic picture of this special place.
The story goes like this: A long time ago, the Yidinji tribe were the sole occupants of the Babinda Valley. The isolation created by the surrounding hills and jungle made visitors rare. However, there came a time when a wandering tribe entered the lush green valley and was made welcome by the Yidinji people, who were in a state of celebration. It seems an elder of the Yidinji tribe named Waroonoo was about to marry the beautiful Oolana. The marriage had been arranged to combine the knowledge and wisdom of Waroonoo with the youth and beauty of Oolana.
The wedding went ahead as planned, but the following day it became obvious that something was wrong. Oolana had disappeared, as had Dyga, a handsome young member of the visiting tribe. A search party comprising both tribes searched the area for the missing lovers. It was not long before they were found camping by a stream running through Churichillam, now known as Mount Bartle Frere.
After a furious struggle Dyga was captured, but not Oolana.
Overcome with emotion, she threw herself into the stream. From then on, the previously peaceful waters erupted into swirling torrents of white water as the ground burst open, spewing forth huge boulders to mark the place of the terrible happenings. Aboriginal legend says the spirit of Oolana remains in Devil’s Pool to this very day, calling to any young single male visitors to the area who may go to the mysterious waters.
From Within 
