Stewart Blackadder recovering after freak tree strike at Dirty Creek, Coffs Harbour

A hardy bushman desperately cried for help after he was poleaxed by a falling tree in a freak series of events. Read how lady luck saw him cheat death.

Stewart Blackadder narrowly avoided being killed when a tree fell on him at Dirty Creek, north of Coffs Harbour, on Monday. Picture: Supplied

Stewart Blackadder desperately cried “cooee” repeatedly in the hope that his son might hear after the hardy bushman was poleaxed by a falling tree in a freak series of events that almost claimed his life.

The 61-year-old logger - something of a local legend at Coffs Harbour - was felling what he planned to be his last tree of the day at Dirty Creek late on Monday afternoon.

But as the tree fell it took with it another, the second tree was dragged and then “catapulted back” at Mr Blackadder, who saw the danger unfolding and raced to get clear.

That scramble was probably when the Corindi man broke his ankle, said his daughter Jasmin.

As it was, the second tree - described by emergency services as the size of a telegraph pole - caught him flush, leaving him with a broken collarbone and seven busted ribs.

Stewart Blackadder is something of a local legend in the Corindi area, have lived their his entire life. Picture: Supplied

Mr Blackadder’s son Dustyn was working nearby and while out-of-sight thankfully heard the cooee calls above the din of machinery as he dragged fallen trees to the log dump.

Still conscious but in a world of hurt, an ambulance was called - but the terrain was so rough the vehicle couldn’t reach Mr Blackadder so paramedics had to walk in.

The terrain was so rough that Stewart Blackadder had to be taken from the accident scene by paramedics, then road ambulance and finally the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. Picture: Supplied

The injuries were such that the Westpac Rescue Helicopter was scrambled and it flew Mr Blackadder to Gold Coast University Hospital, where he remains.

Daughter Jasmin Blackadder said the tree had come perilously close to killing her dad - as the impact had shattered the ear muffs attached to his helmet.

“The tree would have flattened him but it got caught up in the fork of another tree which stopped it coming all the way to the ground - that probably saved his life,” she said.

The rogue tree was prevented from falling completely to the ground only when it became caught in the fork of another. Picture: Supplied

Still in hospital, Mr Blackadder will need surgery on his ankle and possibly his collarbone.

“He’s all right and they’ve given him a pain-block. He also suffered bruised and bleeding lungs, and he’s in a neck brace,” Ms Blackadder said.

“But he’s in good spirits and he’s still his silly self.”

Stewart Blackadder will be counting his lucky wishes. Picture: Supplied

Mr Blackadder is a popular local figure, having lived at Corindi all of his life and attending school at Grafton.

When news broke of his dice with death, the community was shocked.

“I’ve got dad’s phone with me and it’s been running hot,” Ms Blackadder said of the wave of concerned calls.

She said it was lucky the falling tree got “hung up” as it fell, and that her brother was also working in the area at the time.

“He (dad) was cooeeing for help,” Ms Blackadder said.

She said her dad, who runs his own logging business, “can remember everything” about the accident.

“And he and mum want to thank especially all the emergency people and rescue teams,” she said.