Helicopter Rescues in Tasmania "2"

[headwerkn]

That's two rescues from the SCT within a couple of weeks. Correlation between lack of bookable access on the 'usual' Three Capes/OLT/WoJ walks and people going on the harder/less developed walks instead?

[Warin]

May be there needs to be more 'well known walks'.... but that upsets some who don't want 'their walks' becoming 'public'...

[ILUVSWTAS]

May be there needs to be more 'well known walks'.... but that upsets some who don't want 'their walks' becoming 'public'...

The walking IS public. What on earth are you on about? It's the locking people out of areas by forcing them to book which could be the problem like Ben said.

[headwerkn]

I'd argue "both".

There's clearly a need for greater capacity in the "beginner-intermediate tourist walker" market. eg. we need a couple more Three Capes-type multiday walks in the other corners of the states. Preferably cheaper, less lux walks IMHO.

There's also a need, I think, to improve awareness for visitors (and probably locals too) that there's more to bushwalking in Tasmania than just Three Capes, Overland, Frenchmans, Walls, Arthurs, Rhona etc. For all the criticism from some quarters about The Abels et. al. cop for 'pushing' people off the well-beaten paths, they are doing a decent job of helping to 'spread the load' away from the same overused tracks too. With more coordination, promotion and targeted track maintenance, that could be A Good Thing.

[north-north-west]

headwerkn:

While I agree in principle with much of what you say, I'm struggling to think of areas where such walks could be developed without too severely compromising wilderness values.
The Tarkine coast has a glorious traverse, but shove Freycinet/(Two Out of) Three Capes/Overland style crowds in there and it would be destroyed. Even more so Wilmot-Frankland, Spires, King Willies, South West Cape, Tyndalls, Snowy Range ... Douglas-Apsley could be developed but it lacks the WOW! factor. The BBF's trans Tarkine proposal had merit (when kept at a camping level), but the political climate won't permit it. The PCT could be flashed up (the road walk section would need to be bypassed where possible) but there are parts of that you don't want the average numpty encountering.
There are a lot of things that could be done, routes that could be connected and promoted (think of starting at the Hartz carpark, traversing Hartz to Esperance to The Calf to Mesa to Alexandra and out to Lune River via Moonlight, for instance) but this is just more development creep, eating away at the true wild country and taming it for the masses who can't cope with its natural state.

What is more important - access and entertainment for humans, or protection of the wilderness?

[headwerkn]

I'm struggling to think of areas where such walks could be developed without too severely compromising wilderness values.

I was talking more along the lines of attempting to spread however many thousand extra visits a year across 20-30+ existing, lesser used tracks. Ones that aren't already being thrashed and/or present real safety concerns to less-experienced walkers eg. South Coast Track, Western and eventually the Eastern Arthurs and Mt Anne Circuit.

Agreed - dumping such numbers on a single track would require significant infrastructure/development. An additional few hundred pairs of boots per annum, however, could perhaps be managed far more minimally, both visually and financially speaking.

The Penguin Cradle Trail really should be utilised and promoted more, but again agreed, the "back half" isn't without safety and environmental impact issues. I could think of far worse places to spend a bit of money on track hardening, though.

This current issue, as I see it, is that everyone all wants to do the same half-dozen tracks because they're "iconic" and "famous" and "a bucket list walk" and the ones all their friends do. Marketing isn't going to change that perception overnight, but I feel a part of the solution is to start challenging it and make people aware that, hey, there are all these other awesome places to go too, places for every ability.

Granted one issue is, for the market that equates overnight hiking with huts, current options are rather limited.

I really believe we need more coastal multiday walks around the northeast and west/northwest coast, like Three Capes but minus the boats, flash huts, paved tracks and pricey booking fee/development cost. As a general rule coastal routes are going to be less dangerous to inexperienced walkers, less affected by adverse weather and less dependent on heavy track infrastructure to protect the surrounding environment, compared to alpine routes. I'd love to see a Trial Harbour to Granville Harbour walk near/alongside the Climies Track, or even an extended thru-hike route all the way up to Arthur River perhaps? Water is likely the main issue, keeping tanks filled during summer would be a challenge, which means huts with a decent roof catchment area. Coastal huts don't need to be triple glazed and insulated beyond R8+, but with current bushfire refuge rules, there may me no such thing as a "cheap" hut either.

However I have it on good authority that the market doesn't want more coastal walks, but alpine walks. Can't blame them - it's what I prefer too! But then, I don't require heated huts or dry feet. Another Overland Track-type walk isn't going to happen. There will be no seven-day Eldons or Denison Ranges Track with huts and interpretative trackside art installations for (hopefully) obvious reasons. From what I know, PWS would rather keep the Western Arthurs as-is, and manage the current issues without making it any more attractive than it already is.

The question is where we draw the line between catering to everyone's whims and simply saying "this is what we have to offer - take it or leave it". I'm probably being optimistic/naïve, but in a space of high demand and limited supply, people will adapt their expectations to what's available. If they want facilities and huts anyway.

What is more important - access and entertainment for humans, or protection of the wilderness?

A certain amount of the former greatly aids the latter. Or as an acquaintance once surmised "sometimes you have to give up the arm to save the life".

[Overlandman]

From vigilante news

The Tasmania Police Westpac rescue helicopter has been activated to another medivac rescue at South Coast Track.

[Overlandman]

From Tasmania Police

A search is currently underway for a missing walker in South West Tasmania.

Search and Rescue members on the ground and in the Westpac Rescue Helicopter are searching the South Coast Track for a woman in her 20s who became separated from a walking companion around 6pm last night.

Around 9.15pm emergency services responded to a Personal Locator Beacon activation in the area of Dead Mans Bay.

Search members located the woman's walking companion in the area and a search is ongoing to locate the missing woman.

[grunter]

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australi ... b49GPcxko0 she is found safe.

[Overlandman]

From Vigilante News

The Tasmania Police Westpac rescue helicopter assisting in a search for missing bush walkers in the south west has been forced to return to Ryan’s Point due to deteriorating weather conditions.

[bumpingbill]

Seems like it's the Southern Ranges?

[headwerkn]

Yeah, near Pindars...

From Police Tas - https://www.police.tas.gov.au/news-even ... onal-park/

Tuesday, 21 December 2021 - 1:38 pm.

An overdue bushwalker on the Moonlight Ridge Track in the Southwest National Park has been located alive and well.

Police Search and Rescue members and multiple SES volunteers, supported by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, searched and located the 38 year old man around 11:30 this morning near Pindars Peak.

The experienced bushwalker who was equipped for outdoor conditions requested assistance in the early hours of Monday morning which started a land and air search operation.

Deteriorating weather conditions were experienced during the search which is a timely reminder to bushwalkers to be fully aware of their capabilities and well equipped for outdoor conditions.

[Overlandman]

Update From Vigilante News

Police rescue team forgotten about

Further to our numerous reports and updates in regards to the missing south west walker, yes whilst he was located Police rescue and Paramedic/s are yet to be retrieved from the rugged area as they continue walking out on foot. We know at least one of the team is injured. Walking toward Pigsty ponds this morning shortly after 8.00am they were advised that the Tasmania Police Westpac rescue helicopter has been diverted to an EPIRB activation. The conditions are poor and they have been out in this terrain for days now. TVN will provide an update shortly.

[north-north-west]

Is it just me or have there been an inordinate number of rescues/retrievals the last couple of months?

[headwerkn]

Seems to be a lot from the southern tracks. Or maybe the OLT/WoJ has just been uncharacteristically quiet compared to previous years.

[doogs]

The rescue chopper pilots will know the South Coast better than the Par Avion pilots at this rate.
Interesting that the rescues are on official tracks but ones that don't need to be booked. I guess that this could just be a coincidence..

[Overlandman]

One from yesterday
From Tasmanian Police

The Tasmania Police Westpac rescue helicopter has located a missing walker on a southwest track. A rescue plane from Essendon also assisted in the search.

[Overlandman]

One for today

From ABC

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-29/ ... /100729536

[Overlandman]

From Tasmania Police

A Hobart man has been rescued from Mt Anne after a fall while descending the summit today.

His walking companions alerted emergency services after the 32-year-old fell 15 metres.

Two intensive care paramedics were initially winched to the location. Once the patient was assessed a third paramedic and doctor were winched into the location by a second helicopter.

The man was stabilised at the location and then winched to the helicopter before being flown to the Royal Hobart Hospital in a critical but stable condition.

A second walker who was also a member of the injured walker’s walking party was winched from Mt Anne after not being able to make the descent from the summit. This walker was transported to Hobart.

[Overlandman]

From Vigilante News

The Tasmania Police Westpac rescue helicopter attended the Hartz Mountain National Park late this afternoon for a medivac, we understand a walker had fallen. The helicopter landed at the RHH a short time ago.

[wander]

There was a note in the Murgab Creek logbook that a solo walker had fooled about in the scrub South of there for 4 hours then called in a heli evacuation on 29/1/22.

[north-north-west]

There is a section south of Window Pane where you can get off-track, but it's easy enough to correct. Don't remember anything awkward between there and Murgab ... unless they mean the taped inland pad that avoids the rockhop? But that bit was pretty obvious even without the tape.

I can understand getting offline between Murgab and Pascoe Range and spending too long in the scrub, but unless the cloud is really low there are always visible landmarks no matter how slow you're going.

[Rexyviney36]

Imagine knowing the exact date you needed a future heli evac???
You’d just not go, surely…

[wander]

Don't remember anything awkward between there and Murgab ... unless they mean the taped inland pad that avoids the rockhop?.

The short section of scrub just South of Murgab is legendary for being difficult. Having done it twice South to North and once North to South I can see why people have had issues over the years. But having nailed it 2 out of 3 time and the time we ended up at the coast and rock hopped (going South to North) was no disaster either I struggle a bit as to why so many people do have issues. Tho it is much clearer now than it was 2014 and the trip prior I can't remember when it was.

[Overlandman]

One today from Vigilante News

The Tasmania Police Westpac rescue helicopter is en route to the Launceston General Hospital following a medivac of a woman who suffered a fall on the Marion’s lookout link track at Cradle Mountain this afternoon.

[Overlandman]

Not sure what this one is about
If someone hears something can you add to the stary

From Vigilante news

The Tasmania Police Westpac rescue helicopter is heading to Scotts Peak Dam after locating a number of missing bush walkers nearby.

[FLICKIT]

Not sure what this one is about
If someone hears something can you add to the stary
From Vigilante news
The Tasmania Police Westpac rescue helicopter is heading to Scotts Peak Dam after locating a number of missing bush walkers nearby.

The heli did a bit of a loop around the Lake Ganymede - High Moor Camp area, a loop north of there, then it dropped off the radar for a bit,
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/POL ... 0146.33775

it reappeared north of Mount Anne and returned to the airport... Since it returned to the airport and not the RHH I assume there were no injuries...
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/POL ... 0127/0346Z

I noticed some action between Precipitous Bluff and Cockle Creek last week also, it hasn't been mentioned in the news anywhere, it appears a group may have been ferried back to Cockle:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/POL ... /YMHB/YMHB

[FLICKIT]

One of the Westpac helicopters was up around the Frenchmans Cap track area around 8pm last night, it headed back up there this morning, it's now gone to Derwent Bridge so I assume it's an ongoing situation or refueling..

Edit: it returned to the RHH...

[Overlandman]

From Tasmania Police

Crew from Westpac Rescue Helicopter Tasmania retrieved an injured climber from the Candlestick at Cape Hauy around noon today.

A man (in his 30's) had fallen around 10 metres and sustained a leg injury. He was winched to safety and flown to the Royal Hobart Hospital.

The man's climbing companions were uninjured and extracted from the area by repelling down the rockface to an awaiting police boat.

[Son of a Beach]

Apologies in advance (and I don't know if it's you or Tas Police), but...

It's not "repelling" (or at least if they were repelling, they should explain how being repellant helped them get down to the boat).

It's "abseiling" in Australia. Even in America, it's not "repelling", it's "rappelling" (eg, see: https://grammarist.com/spelling/rappel-repel/ ).

As Digory would say, "what do they teach them in schools these days".

Sorry for being pedantic.

(What usually happens after I post something pedantic like this is that somebody better educated or more pedantic than me picks apart what I've written... and I'm OK with that.)