Tourist rescued from Mount Bartle Frere after 17-hour operation as weather turns treacherous

A tourist has been rescued from the state’s highest mountain after treacherous weather caused a 17-hour ordeal that included a leech being stuck to a hiker’s eye.

Two SES volunteers spent eight hours bringing a stranded tourist down from Queensland’s highest mountain after she became trapped by heavy mist and wet conditions. Picture: Tourism Tropical North Queensland

A tourist has been rescued from the state’s highest mountain after treacherous weather caused a 17-hour ordeal that included a leech being stuck to a hiker’s eye.

With a maximum elevation of 1622m, Mount Bartle Frere is about 50km from Cairns and is considered one of the most challenging hikes in Queensland.

It is also known as a rugged and remote location where the weather can change quickly, particularly at the summit.

Far North Queensland State Emergency Services acting area controller Tristan Hardwick said emergency services were called to help the 41-year-old woman from South East Queensland on Friday, June 27.

“She started to come down and then realised the cloud had come in, she couldn’t see any tracks, there was heavy mist, and it was starting to get very, very wet,” Mr Hardwick said.

The eight-hour descent proved challenging and was slow with multiple leech encounters.

“It was a slow process which included multiple leech attachments, including one to an eye,” Mr Hardwick said.

Leeches are very common when hiking Mount Bartle Frere. Picture: Supplied

He said the hiker had been well prepared overall.

“She had the right gear, sufficient food and warm gear,” Mr Hardwick said.

The initial call came through to police at 9.30am on Friday after the weather started to get windy, wet and the mist rolled in.

The rescue operation began about 11am and wrapped up at 4.30am the next day.

“She was really trapped by heavy mist and deteriorating weather conditions,” Mr Hardwick said.

As acting controller for the region, he deployed two experienced operators who trekked six hours up the mountain to locate the hiker.

The SES was able to maintain contact with the woman using a GPS location system and mobile phone coverage which works near the summit hut area.

State Emergency Services acting area controller Tristan Hardwick advised hikers to check Queensland Parks’ website when planning a hike to ensure routes are open before setting off. Picture: Supplied

Timeline of events during rescue of a 41-year-old woman on Queensland’s tallest mountain. Picture: Canva.

After reaching the base, the hiker was handed over to the Queensland Ambulance Service at Josephine Falls car park for a routine health check.

She walked away with only minor scratches and leech bites.

Mr Hardwick praised her preparation but advised future hikers to check weather forecasts and consult local rangers, particularly visitors unfamiliar with tropical Queensland conditions.

“She could have stayed up there for at least a day or two, she was that well prepared. The only thing is maybe a bit more planning when it comes to weather forecasting,” he said.

During a previous rescue, SES crews assisted a 62-year-old Mourilyan man return to the base of Mount Bartle Frere walking trail at Josephine Falls. He started his multi-day trail hike on the Atherton side of the mountain before activating an EPIRB requesting emergency assistance. Picture: Arun Singh Mann

Mr Hardwick advised hikers to check Queensland Parks’ website when planning a hike to ensure routes are open before setting off.

The mountain has no weather-monitoring station, with the nearest one at Innisfail about 600m lower and close to sea level — making accurate forecasting difficult.

A Bureau of Meteorology spokesman said changing weather patterns with southerly winds and extra moisture could have led to hazardous conditions.

“It would have started showering Friday night and continued into Saturday, not particularly heavy, but enough to make the ground slippery,” he said.

The area typically receives about 8m of rainfall annually, but the remote location means there’s no data available for the exact summit conditions.

Far North Queensland SES acting area controller Tristan Hardwick recently received the Emergency Services Medal - one of only two issued annually in Queensland. Picture: Supplied

This rescue highlights the crucial work of the Far North SES volunteers, with the entire operation carried out by unpaid community members.

Mr Hardwick, who recently received the Emergency Services Medal – one of only two issued annually in Queensland, has served the community for 20 years.

“Everybody you see physically doing the hard work are volunteers,” he said.

Queensland has 5000 volunteers, with several hundred in Far North Queensland, specialising in land search, flood rescue, and storm response.

However, the service is facing a critical volunteer shortage, particularly among younger people.

“We’re in desperate need of more volunteers,” Mr Hardwick said.

State Emergency Service volunteers training in a search and rescue outdoor exercise. Picture: Supplied

“So if you’re a keen bush walker or you’re part of a bushwalking club, we definitely want to have a chat to you guys.”

The SES has streamlined training to attract new members, offering full qualification in three weekends, with all training, uniforms and equipment provided free.

The training also provides nationally accredited qualifications.

“So you can get national accreditation for our chainsaw course, which you can then use when you go and work for council or private entities,” Mr Hardwick said.

Anyone interested in volunteering with Far North Queensland SES can visit ses.qld.gov.au and follow the prompts.

The next recruitment course begins soon, with multiple programs running throughout the year across the Cairns region, Cassowary Coast, Tablelands, Torres Strait and Cape York.

Originally published as Tourist rescued from Mount Bartle Frere after 17-hour operation as weather turns treacherous