A climbing trip in New South Wales turned into a desperate struggle for survival after a falling rock left a 61-year-old man injured. The incident occurred at Crater Bluff in the Warrumbungles National Park, approximately four-and-a-half hours northwest of the Blue Mountains, around 1pm on Saturday.
The climber was 150 metres up the cliff face when he was struck in the head, suffering cuts and a suspected concussion. He and his climbing partner were on a section of the climb known as Cornerstone Rib, where they managed to reach a ledge to rest.
From that ledge, they activated an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), according to NSW Police. The beacon triggered a multi-agency emergency operation involving PolAir and two critical care paramedics.
Due to the remote and hazardous location, the injured climber and his partner—believed to be from Victoria—had to remain in place overnight. They were winched to the top of Crater Bluff at 8am on Sunday, after spending a total of 11 hours stranded on the ledge.
Both rescuers and climbers were then winched out of the national park. The 61-year-old was taken to Coonabarabran Hospital with minor injuries and treated for his cuts and concussion.
The successful rescue highlighted the importance of carrying an EPIRB in remote climbing areas, as it allowed emergency services to locate the stranded climbers quickly despite the challenging conditions.
