British backpacker loses arm in ‘crush’ on working holiday

A working holiday has changed the life of a young English backpacker forever after he suffered a horrific injury. WARNING: Confronting images

Henry Dunn’s working holiday to Australia has ended in a life-changing injury and hefty recovery costs.

Mr Dunn, 23, was using a post driver to hammer fence posts into the ground at a cattle station near Katherine in the Northern Territory when he suffered a “serious crush incident” on November 15. His arm was later amputated due to the extent of the injury.

The backpacker was taken 500km by ute, ambulance and CareFlight to Royal Darwin Hospital, where his left arm was amputated at the elbow during emergency surgery.

British backpacker Henry Dunn lost his lower left arm after a workplace accident on a remote Northern Territory cattle station.

Months on and recovering in the UK, happy-go-lucky Mr Dunn has opened up about the experience, revealing recovery costs not covered by the Northern Territory Workers’ Compensation Scheme have stacked up fast. “Due to the Northern Territory Workers’ Compensation Scheme, the funds raised will help cover costs that are not covered by the insurance,” he wrote on an online fundraiser.

Henry Dunn was on a working holiday in Australia when his arm was crushed. Picture: Instagram

Despite the gruesome end to his trip, the young man reflected fondly on his belated gap year, which saw him spending almost a year travelling around Southeast Asia, New Zealand and Australia.

“In the 11 months of being away, I met amazing people and experienced new cultures, foods and activities, which all aided my personal development and view of the world,” he said.

“For the last three months, I set out to work on a cattle station in the Northern Territory; an amazing experience where I learnt so much about working with cattle and station life.”

The British backpacker had been working on a remote Northern Territory cattle station.

In a social media post earlier this year, Mr Dunn thanked all of those in Australia who helped him through the horrific event.

“I had the most amazing support and care whilst I was out in the Northern Territory,” he said.

“The people who were there made my last few weeks in Australia more bearable by lifting my spirits in difficult times.”

Mr Dunn has already raised almost $15,000 since launching his fundraiser in February.

In an update last month, after being fitted with a prosthesis with a hook, Mr Dunn explained, “My right shoulder now controls my left-hand grip so getting used to new movements is causing daily challenges.”

“My “residual limb” is changing shape all of the time as it goes through different stages of healing. Doctors explained the healing as like baking a pie. The outside looks ready, but inside is still raw; still, a long way to go.”