Dog gone! Emergency crews called to save would-be rescuer stuck on cliff A WOMAN stuck on a cliff at the former Moorooduc quarry, Mt Eliza Regional Park, Tuesday morning, may be lucky to escape a fine for breaching “No dogs allowed” signs. A sign clearly displayed near the fall site states: “Environmentally sensitive area: No dogs, no bikes – penalties apply”. The woman and her German shorthaired pointer, Mailey, had to be winched to safety after slipping 15 metres down the quarry face about 10am. They were on a ledge for about 90 minutes. A friend alerted rescue crews who assembled up top and prepared to bring her back to the top. They included CFA crews from Mt Eliza, Dandenong and Frankston and Frankston SES. A high-angle rescue team from Dandenong and CFA specialist rescue crews pulled the dog up first using a K9 harness, which goes over the head to prevent biting, and then the woman, aged in her mid-20s. “Our crew arrived shortly after 10am to find a woman in her 20s trapped and inaccessible,” Brodie White of Mt Eliza CFA said. “She appeared to have gone to the aid of her dog after it jumped a fence and became stuck on steep terrain.” Mr White said a portable radio was sent down to the women so she could communicate with her rescuers. The rescue was completed at 11.30am and the woman was given the all clear by paramedics. Steve Taylor
Steep learning curve: A woman is rescued by SES and CFA crews after falling down the quarry wall at Mt Eliza Regional Park, Moorooduc, left; the cliff face from which the woman was rescued, right; members of Frankston SES with the dog Mailey, who started the drama by jumping down the cliff, and a friend of the rescued woman. Pictures: Gary Sissons
Man dies after plunge from pier Man drowns at Gunnamatta SEARCH and rescue police on Friday night recovered the body of a 64-year-old Hastings man who went missing off Hastings pier that morning. Police rushed to the scene after receiving reports of an abandoned wheelchair. They set up a shelter at the end of the pier while divers searched for a body. Hastings Yacht Club is assisting police with its CCTV footage. There are no suspicious circumstances. Police are preparing a report for the coroner. For support and information about suicide prevention, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.
Bay search: A police diver jumps into the water to search for the missing man whose empty wheelchair was left on Hastings pier. Picture: Yanni
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“It was mild for Gunnamatta but what we call mild is based on our experiences of the conditions we can get here.” Club president Greg Goulet said the rips on Sunday were “fairly strong”. “Someone not familiar with Gunnamatta, especially if they are not a strong swimmer, would find the conditions way out of their depth,” he said. About 120 swimmers were at the beach. Mr Murphy said lifesavers had performed 27 rescues at Gunnamatta this summer and “a couple of thousand preventative measures”. Surf Life Saving Australia describes Gunnamatta beach as “extremely hazardous” due to its high waves and strong rips, with lifesavers performing an average of 113 rescues each year – the second highest in the state.
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A MAN, 27, drowned at Gunnamatta beach, Sunday, while swimming with friends about 500 metres west of the area patrolled by lifesavers. The Taiwanese national, of Box Hill, got into trouble after being caught in a rip and pulled off a sandbank at 1.20pm. His two friends alerted lifesavers, who ran back along the beach. One swam out to the boy and brought him ashore. The lifesavers performed CPR until Ambulance Victoria crews arrived to take over, but he could not be revived and died at the scene. A report will be prepared for the coroner. Gunnamatta club captain Patrick Murphy described conditions as “moderate”, with a one metre swells, a stiff south-westerly wind, and many rips.
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www.neptours.com.au Western Port News 26 January 2016
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