An 18-year-old male was hospitalized after falling approximately 40 meters down a cliff at Half Moon Bay in Black Rock, Melbourne, on Sunday at approximately 8:30 PM. He sustained spinal, arm, and leg injuries after landing on a ledge five meters above the ground. Fire Rescue Victoria's (FRV) high angle rescue team, State Emergency Service crews, and paramedics responded.
FRV Senior Station Officer Tyson Scurrah stated that the sandstone terrain was unstable, making anchor setup challenging. Teams rigged a system to stabilize and lower the patient to the sand, from where he was walked out. The rescue took about 30 minutes, and the man was transferred to the hospital in stable condition.
On the same day, a man in his 20s suffered serious injuries after falling from a cliff at Mount Martha, located about 50 kilometers south of Black Rock. Rescue crews were called to The Pillars rock formations at approximately 5:15 PM, and the man was airlifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in serious but stable condition.
Days prior, a woman fell from a cliff in Beaumaris, a suburb adjacent to Black Rock. She remains in critical condition in the hospital. Similar cliff rescue incidents occurred at Victorian beaches in December.
Additionally, multiple paddleboard rescues were conducted around Melbourne on Sunday due to unusual easterly winds. Carrum Surf Lifesavers brought seven paddleboarders ashore, and Lifesaving Victoria's watercraft rescued two others. Ben Rooks of Carrum Surf Life Saving Club reported additional rescues at Chelsea, Aspendale, and Bonbeach. Most individuals rescued were in their 20s, but some children were also rescued after drifting into Port Phillip. Rooks advised keeping children within arm's length in the water.