Much-loved family band rocked

Sarah Moir should be standing next to her husband with her violin as he plays the cello for adoring crowds. Instead, she's been by his hospital bedside.

TOUGH TIMES: Joel, Heath and Sarah, from The String Family, performing in Stanthorpe last year. Picture: File

SARAH Moir should be standing next to her husband with her violin as he plays the cello for adoring crowds.

Instead, she's been by his hospital bedside as he battles for his life after slipping on some rocks at Josephine Falls, near Cairns.

Sarah and Joel Moir, along with their teenage children Heath and Ashleigh, are better known as The String Family, an internationally acclaimed band and much- loved in the Stanthorpe area.

They've become regular fixtures in town, last performing at the busking championships in Stanthorpe in 2018 and the Apple and Grape Harvest Festival.

They'd only recently moved to Innisfail, where they had landed their "dream job” performing nightly at Paronella Park.

"We were just walking along the rocks and Joel had new shoes on and his feet slipped out from underneath him and he landed on his head,” Mrs Moir said.

"When he slipped I grabbed him under his arm to prevent him from falling down the waterfall - if he had, he would've drowned.”

To make matters worse, the accident happened when the group was at the top of one of the waterfalls, with no coverage to even phone 000.

"Five of us had to get him down from the waterfall, swim across the creek - which had a really strong current - walk him across the rocks, up the steps and then 700m to the car,” Mrs Moir said.

"We took him to Innisfail Hospital for a CAT scan, which showed he had two fractures in his skull.”

Mr Moir spent several days in a hospital bed but is now on the road to recovery.

"It makes you realise you have to appreciate your loved ones as everything can change in a moment,” Mrs Moir said.

National busking champions and friends the Haystack Mountain Hermits heard about the Moirs' plight and will be collecting money for the family at each of their performances in Stanthorpe this weekend.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with Mr Moir's recovery. A $1000 goal was set but so far more than $7000 has been raised. Visit www.gofundme.com/f/support-joel039s-recovery.