The old people on Palm Island told the story of the big snake that come through this country long ago in the Dream time. At that time the sea was not here but the Land went all the way to what is know as the mainland today.

On his way down from the north he made the channel between Hinchinbrook Island and the mainland. This is the track he left as he made his way over the land. Then he moved to Palm Island and travelled up Bamboo creek to a big deep pool. All the young girls and children of the tribe that lived there used to swim and play in the pool.

When they came down to swim the snake swallowed the prettiest girl and moved away. One old clever man of the tribe knew there was some think bad at the waterhole. He went down to the pool and saw his daughter was missing. He asked the children where she was and they told him that the snake had eaten her and gone. He looked around and found the track of the snake. He followed the track around the back of Mt. Bentley along and down the creek that the snake had made with his track. Today this is called carpet snack creek.

He search around Barber Island then the other island’s we know today as Rattlesnake. Snake

Saddle back and errol Island. These islands were made by the big snake when he pulls up for a rest. Also the snake made Bay Rock and whit Rock.

After a long search the clever man finally found the snake on the western point of Magnetic island. The snake saw the clever man wanted revenge but said to him he didn’t want to be killed. The old man said he wanted his daughter back and did not want to kill the snake.

The old man use clever magic and got the girl out of the snake. After she was out the old man called all the green ants to eat the slime from the snake’s belly that covered the girl. Then he made a fire and smoked the evil spirits out of his daughter. And after that he took her home.

When he got home the mother was out gathering wood. She called out from a long way away because she didn’t know if the girl was dead or alive. She was happy when the old man told her how he had got the girl back. But still the old people of Palm Island would not go into that pool from that time on.