Mount Hotham: Man‘s incredible rescue after car rolls 200m off Great Alpine Rd. See the pictures

A driver has incredibly crawled from the wreckage of his car after it plunged and rolled 200m off the Mt Hotham snow road.

A driver has cheated death after his car plunged and rolled 200m off a Mt Hotham snow road, before being winched to safety in blizzard-like conditions in the dark of night.

More than 30 emergency services workers and volunteers spent more than five hours rescuing the man in his 40s, whose car left the Great Alpine Rd in Hotham Heights roughly 3km from the top of the mountain about 6.30pm on Friday.

It rolled repeatedly down the side of the mountain but, incredibly, the driver managed to pull himself out of the wreckage.

The man was located and treated by paramedics before being loaded onto a stretcher and hauled up the mountainside on ropes with two Bright SES volunteers and a member of Mt Hotham’s ski patrol.

More than 30 emergency services workers and volunteers helped rescue a man whose car rolled down a slope in Hotham Heights. Picture: Bright SES/Fire Rescue Victoria.

The stretcher reached rescue crews about midnight and the man was taken by ambulance to Wangaratta North East Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

An Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman said the man was assessed for head and chest injuries.

It is unclear which direction the man was travelling before his car left the road.

Bright SES deputy controller Graham Gales said the rescue was one of the most challenging he had been involved with in nearly 40 years with the service.

Mr Gales said it was lucky someone had noticed the car had left the road which led to the emergency response and rescue, which involved more than 10 crews of firefighters, the SES and paramedics.

“Even in the condition he was in (escaping the crash), it would have been very difficult for him to survive the night,” he said.

“Everyone did a stellar job, and it’s another good example of co-ordination and emergency services working together as a team to address the best outcome.

“The hauling (of the stretcher) takes a while and you can only do it in short bursts.”

Rescuers spent hours hauling the man on a stretcher up the side of Mt Hotham in blizzard-like conditions. Picture: Bright SES/Fire Rescue Victoria.

Mr Gales said a similar incident and rescue occurred further down the mountain on September 11.

He said further safety measures were not required on Great Alpine Rd and drivers just needed to drive according to the conditions.

“If people do that, these sort of things shouldn’t happen,” Mr Gales said.

The circumstances surrounding how the man’s car left the road are unclear, and any witnesses or anyone with information can phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.