A glow‑worm adventure at Barron Falls turned into a terrifying survival ordeal for three Far North teens who were trapped by rapidly rising floodwaters and nearly swept away. Sixteen‑year‑olds Reon Namba and Jacob Tait, and 14‑year‑old Amber Kukulies had set out for a simple overnight camp on February 14 but when the falls surged they found themselves stranded on the rocks in total darkness.
Jacob was knocked off his feet and dragged by the current, while the others scrambled to higher ground as the roar of the water grew louder.
With no safe way out, a QG Air rescue crew, already training nearby, was deployed into the pitch‑black gorge. Battling turbulence, low cloud and the force of the waterfall, the team winched the teens 180 feet to safety one by one.
Reon says they “owe their lives” to the crew who brought them home. The teens escaped with only minor injuries — and a renewed respect for how quickly the Far North can turn dangerous.
