By Dongyun Kwon
Two people were rescued by emergency personnel working together at Wells Cave Track, Taggerty at around 4pm on Sunday 9 June.
Wandin CFA’s rope rescue team joined other two CFA units (Yea and Monbulk) and two SES units (Alexandra and Marysville) to assist two hikers who were not confident to descend one of the large rocks on the track due to the rainfall.
Wandin CFA firefighter Rick Ramadge said all emergency agencies worked well together.
“We arrived right on dark, so that made it a bit more complicated with the lack of lighting,” he said.
“We had a high-angle rope rescue system to rescue the patients and then we brought them down individually one by one.”
None of the hikers were injured and they successfully touched down on the safer ground through the rope rescue system.
The crews walked them back to a nearby car park.
“I’m not entirely sure of the means of why they were stuck with. I think they were just under-prepared for the track grade that they were on and didn’t have sufficient equipment with them,” Mr Ramadge said.
“The track they were trying to walk was quite an advanced hiking track.
“We’re just trying to say to all the hikers that you need to go prepared into these mountainous locations and then if you do come into trouble, call for assistance as early as possible.”
The incident was declared safe at 7.34 pm.
