‘Most caring and kind heart’: Family’s heartbreaking tribute after teens drown at notorious swimming spot

Many people have drowned at the popular but notorious swimming spot that claimed the lives of two teens on Sunday. Emergency services were called to Wappa Falls, near Yandina, on the Sunshine Coast after reports a 17-year-old girl - who has since been identified as Honor Ward - had failed to resurface about 2.30pm on Sunday. Beau Liddell, 17, from the Sunshine Coast, jumped into the water in an attempt to rescue Ms Ward but also failed to resurface. A search and rescue team was called to find the teens about 2.50pm, tragically locating Ms Ward’s body in the water about 3.35pm. Beau’s body was recovered several hours later. Tributes have begun pouring in for Beau, with loved ones remembering him as a “hero” who had the “most kind and caring heart”. Beau’s older sister, Skye, shared a heartbreaking tribute to her brother online. “I miss you so badly baby brother,” she said. “You had the most caring and kind heart. I am so proud of you. “I love you to the moon and back, forever and always.” Another friend shared a touching tribute to their friend, who was described as the “best person we could have ever asked for”. “Always with you, love you so much, miss you,” another read. “Always the brave but sometimes too brave.” One person recounted the fond memories of their time growing up alongside the teenager. “We grew together over the years and both changed so much,” the tribute read. “You left the world a hero and you will never be forgotten.” Speaking to Sky News Australia, a family friend said Mr Liddell and Ms Ward were part of a close trio of friends - the third now being left behind. “I really feel for the third friend left behind to witness this first-hand. She needs all the support she can get from our community,” the friend told the network. Ms Ward’s cousin, Lorah, also paid tribute to her “darling girl”, while another of Ms Ward’s friends told the ABC the 17-year-old had a “brightness” and cared deeply about supporting others. It’s not the first time tragedy has struck. In 2007, Dominic Hayes, 15, died after jumping into a flooded rock pool at Wappa Falls and drowned in the swollen water, which had become rough due to heavy rain. Three years later, Mitchell Edwards, 15, drowned at the same spot while spending time with his father, disappearing underneath the water and failing to resurface. In 2022, tragedy struck again when a 49-year-old man died attempting to save his son who slipped off the waterfall and fell into the water. The recent double tragedy has struck a nerve with the Sunshine Coast community, who have urged for others swimming in the area to be cautious of spending time in floodwaters. Water at Wappa Falls can become unpredictable and rough when the ungated Wappa Dam reaches capacity and flows over the spillway. According to Seqwater, which monitors the capacity level of dams across Queensland, the Wappa Dam is at 101.5 per cent capacity, making it unsafe for visitors to swim. “Following heavy rain, do not swim as there will be large amounts of rushing water moving from the waterfall down stream,” Surf Life Saving said online. “There are no lifeguards or lifesavers at our inland waterways and it may take some time A sign at the top of the water hole warns visitors to be extra cautious while swimming in the area. “Conditions here are unpredictable,” the sign reads, warning people of “heavy currents, deep water and submerged boulders”. Online, locals cautioned visitors from swimming in the rapid and unpredictable water as storms and floods create dangerous flow. “Please don’t swim there when it’s flowing like that,” a person wrote. “Lots of drownings right there – in that amount of flow,” said another. “There is a deep whirlpool you cannot escape from if you get near it.” “After it has been raining and water is going over the spillway of the Dam Wappa, waterfall becomes too dangerous to swim, no matter how strong you think you are,” a third person added. “Once you jump off that waterfall, the pressure of water will force you into an underwater cave at the base of the cliff face, and you will not be strong enough to swim against it and get out.”