WA couple stranded on mountain ledge after trying to look at supermoon
A West Australian couple who tried to scale a mountain for a better view of Monday’s supermoon have been rescued after six hours stranded in the dark.
The couple, aged in their 20s, had scaled a cliff in Queensland’s Glass House mountain range with a rope they found at the base.
However, the rare moon encounter did not go to plan when the young woman became trapped on a tiny ledge.
“They’ve been up to get a closer view of the moon,” SES spokesperson Robert Barry said.
“(The woman) appeared to be sort of stuck on a ledge where she’s not game to move either way.”
The woman’s boyfriend was forced to call 000 after he was unable to get back down to assist.
The couple had set off at dusk to climb Mount Tibrogargan, which is already considered a difficult climb in daylight.
The pair had not reached the halfway point of the 364-metre summit when they became stranded, and a rescue helicopter was called in at midnight.
Six hours after setting off on the Supermoon adventure, the couple were able to walk away without serious injury.
“They got a point of no return ... without our assistance, they would not have been able to get down by themselves,” SES member Lou Speann said.
“It’s a climb up there and we had to bash through the scrub bit in the middle of the night," Queensland Fire and Rescue's Grant Feeny added.
The couple were taken for a medical check before being given the all clear.