Coolum Beach cliff fall: Worker falls 25m off cliff at Point Perry, Sunshine Coast
A 26-year-old man remains in a Brisbane hospital after a fall more than 25m from a cliff onto rocks at the Sunshine Coast. Read the latest on his condition.
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A 26-year-old man is in a stable condition in a Brisbane hospital after he fell more than 25m onto rocks from a cliff at Point Perry on the Sunshine Coast.
He was airlifted after a nearly three-hour rescue operation that involved Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Police, two RACQ Lifeflight Rescue choppers and other agencies at the popular Coolum Beach lookout.
The worker was transported on September 14, 2022, to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane in a serious condition.
A hospital spokeswoman said he remained in the hospital on September 15, 2022, and was in a stable condition.
He had been moved out of the intensive care unit.
He suffered a serious head injury, possible spinal injuries and multiple cuts in the fall.
The man had been working as an arborist contracting for the Sunshine Coast Council.
Sunshine Coast Police district duty officer Senior Sergeant Michael Froggatt said the man was trimming back trees and bushes under the boardwalk on David Low Way when he fell.
The incident has sparked Sunshine Coast Council and Workplace Health and Safety Queensland investigations.
A spokesman for Workplace Health and Safety Queensland said the investigation started on September 14, 2022 and continued today.
A council spokeswoman said on September 14, 2022, that council was investigating the incident and was unable to comment.
“Our thoughts are with the contractor involved in today’s incident at Coolum,” she said.
During the rescue, a helicopter dropped off equipment to help stabilise the young man and then refuelled and returned for its mercy flight, rushing the man to Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital for treatment after he suffered significant head and suspected spinal injuries.
The Sunshine Coast-based RACQ LifeFlight Rescue medical team was called and the Bundaberg RACQ rescue chopper also attended.
Queensland Fire and Rescue Coolum Beach station officer Brian Riley said crews from Coolum Beach, Maroochydore and a vehicle from Brisbane was on scene for the rescue.
“On location we utilised our rescue technicians,” he said.
Sunshine Coast Queensland Ambulance operations supervisor Mark Fisher said onlookers had reported the man looked “a bit dizzy” before he fell off the edge of the cliff.
He called the rescue “quite complex”, as emergency services were forced to work with an incoming tide.
A surf lifesaver stayed with the man, who was conscious throughout the rescue, until he was winched to safety by a rescue helicopter.
Crowds had gathered on the David Low Way boardwalk to watch the rescue efforts unfold.
Coolum Beach resident David James was coming back from the pool and saw the chopper hovering.
He initially thought it was a whale stuck in the net before he saw the police tape come up and lanes were closed off.
“We see the guys here quite regularly doing weed control down the cliff face,” he said.
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