“He fell into water at least up to the top of his chest, but potentially much deeper.”

After venturing past the sandy tree line to fetch a stray ball, the boy was swallowed by water hidden underneath floating bark debris.

After a struggle, his dad found a nearby palm frond and pulled him to safety.

“The ball was on top of the bark and you couldn’t tell from the naked eye there was water hidden under it,” Katie said.

“He was quite frightened and shaken up. It was spooky to watch him just disappear like that.”

The boy was examined for minor abrasions by Port Douglas surf lifesavers following the incident.

The family, on their first holiday to Port Douglas together, hoped their experience would serve as a cautionary tale to others. The concerned mum also wanted the area cordoned off until the debris moved on.

“You can just never take your eyes off your kids,” Katie said.

“My boy is eight years old and can swim. If it had of been a younger child they could have drowned quite easily.

“We were lucky that we followed him in."

A Douglas Shire spokesperson said Council was not aware of the incident. 

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