A bushwalker who slipped 10 metres down a coastal slope came to a stop just above a 40-metre cliff, with police warning an attempt to rescue himself could have had a “catastrophic outcome”.
The 62-year-old New South Wales man was walking alone on a track at Dennes Point on North Bruny Island on Saturday morning when he fell and slid down a steep slope towards the water.
The man, who was not injured, called emergency services around 10:30am and local police arrived shortly afterwards.
A specialist police roping team was flown in by rescue helicopter and the man was brought to safety around 1pm.
Senior Constable Callum Herbert from search and rescue said the man had slipped about 10 metres down an “unstable slope” at the edge of the coastal track.
“He luckily stopped himself at the top of a further 40-metre cliff,” he said.
“A sensible decision was made to contact emergency services as in this case an attempt to self-rescue may have resulted in him falling further and could have had a catastrophic outcome.”
Herbert urged walkers to carry a charged phone, even on short walks and to stay alert in coastal areas, where loose vegetation and gravel can make the ground unstable.
