Man hospitalised after hiking Mount Bartle Frere

A man has been hospitalised after sustaining a ‘significant’ injury while hiking one of Far North Queensland’s toughest trails.

The QG Air 510 Rescue emergency services helicopter. Picture: Brendan Radke

A man has been hospitalised with ‘significant’ leg injuries after he fell while hiking Mount Bartle Frere on Sunday afternoon.

Mount Bartle Frere, located 72km south of Cairns, is Queensland’s highest mountain, and stands at an elevation of 1611m.

A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman confirmed the man had been transported to Cairns hospital with ‘significant’ leg injuries.

“Police were called to assist three male hikers at Mount Bartle Frere this afternoon at 3pm,” the spokeswoman said.

“One man sustain significant leg injures and was airlifted to Cairns Base Hospital.

“The two other men were not injured and are being guided out by emergency services.

Earlier, a Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman confirmed crews responded to reports of a man in his 50s who had fallen on the mountain and sustained an ankle injury.

“We got the call at 2.52pm for a male in his 50s who apparently had a bit of a slip and has an ankle injury,” the spokesman said.
“He was walking on the Mount Bartle Frere track.”

The spokesman confirmed the patient was in a stable condition with a “non-significant” injury.

A rescue helicopter was called in to assist to access to the patient.

“We have paramedics on scene assessing and it looks like rescue helicopter is not far away,” the spokesman said.

“At this point we’re trying to winch him out.”

It is not known where along the trail the man injured himself.

Originally published as Man hospitalised after hiking Mount Bartle Frere