A rescue operation is underway on the Sunshine Coast after a climber was injured on Mount Beerwah early Wednesday morning, with emergency services called to the Glass House Mountains peak about 6.20am following reports two climbers needed assistance.
Queensland Fire Department crews are on scene and making their way up the mountain on foot to reach the pair, while the Queensland Ambulance Service is also attending following a report one patient had suffered a shoulder injury.
The incident comes just days after a fatal fall on the same mountain, when on Sunday emergency services were called to Mount Beerwah just before 10.30am after reports two people had fallen a considerable distance while descending the summit track. According to Queensland Ambulance Service, they fell a considerable distance, with tragic consequences. A young woman died from her injuries at the scene, while a man was airlifted to Sunshine Coast University Hospital in a life-threatening condition.
The repeated incidents raise concerns about safety on the mountain. Mount Beerwah remains closed to the public due to dangerous conditions following heavy rainfall, with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service warning the risk of large rockfalls is significantly higher after wet weather, with all access routes to the summit temporarily closed as a precaution.
Mount Beerwah has been closed to the public since March 9 due to bad weather. The closure was set to remain in place for a minimum of 7 days, during which Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service would assess the route for any rock fall, with the route to be reopened if no rock falls were observed.
The mountain is part of the Glass House Mountains National Park, which has a long history of rescue operations. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services statistics showed that rescue crews attended 113 call-outs to the Glass House Mountains during the past five years, with a five-year high of 25 call-outs recorded in the previous year. Mount Beerwah itself has been the scene of several incidents, including a 20-metre plunge in 2019 that left a man in a critical condition.
The repeated emergencies have placed considerable strain on emergency services resources. Hikers need to be fully prepared for the mountain, including checking the weather, letting someone know when they will be back, having water and the right clothing and footwear, a phone, and going with an experienced climber if they haven't done it before.