Top Crossing hut recovery
Submitted: Sunday, Jun 07, 2009 at 20:42
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apwaddo
I had the honour this afternoon to see a group of 4Wd's recover a vehicle that had left the road and rolled down a steep
hill (very steep)
hill for about 50 - 100 metres.
The vehicle was not a member or even known to the rescuers and went off the road late on Sat night. A radio call found members of this club (? - not even sure it was a club) answer their call and bring them back to Top Hut Crossing - above Lake William Hovell at 10.30 on Sat night.
This morning saw at least 8 of these vehicles start recovery of the Crusier that had rolled multiple times and ended up against a large tree preventing a catastrophic fall to the river below.
With 4 vehicles linked together on the single track road above the incident , plus 50 meters of recovery straps and shackles tied to a large tree above the site the set to with chansaws and
winches to recover the vehicle. About 5 - 6 hours later they managed to pull the cruiser back onto the road and whilst not quite the shape Toyota had originally designed the occupants were able to drive it away.
The purpose of this post is to recognise the unkown rescuers and praise their willingness and undoubted porfessional ability to recover a vehicle from a horrendous situation.
I do not know who they were - Wish I did! - but would like to add my thanks to the rescued vehicle for an incredible effort.
Reply By: dact - Sunday, Jun 07, 2009 at 21:43
Sunday, Jun 07, 2009 at 21:43
We are members of a club(though not technically at the moment) and know quite a number of members and friends heading up to that area and surrounding areas this weekend. We had to stay
home this weekend :(
but we have been involved in a numbers of rescue/recovery efforts over the last 6 yrs, and stepping in to help if you can, is not something that is even given a 2nd thought. Perhaps we all have in the back of our mind, that it may be us needing help one day, but mostly I'm sure its because our human nature to help those in need.
I can only imagine the extreme effort that would have gone into the incident you describe, and I'm glad to hear occupants and rescuers are all ok.
You didn't mention if the cruiser was on its own or travelling with a group, but its probably a good time to mention
the hazards of travelling these tracks alone, particularly in winter.
Cheers
T & A
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Follow Up By: apwaddo - Sunday, Jun 07, 2009 at 21:51
Sunday, Jun 07, 2009 at 21:51
Good point Dact that I maybe missed in my post - the vehicle was travelling alone at 10.30 at night - in the rain - on a mountain track = perhaps enough said!
Point was mainly to thank the unkown rescuers.
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Reply By: Crackles - Monday, Jun 08, 2009 at 10:39
Monday, Jun 08, 2009 at 10:39
That group certainly went
well beyond the call & are to be congratulated for a great result. It's certainly one of the reasons I travel in a club particually to remote areas. Waddo where in relation to the hut did the car go over? I know the area
well but can't think of a spot near the river one could go 50m over the side.
Cheers Craig.........
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Follow Up By: apwaddo - Monday, Jun 08, 2009 at 10:56
Monday, Jun 08, 2009 at 10:56
About 1 km before you drop down into the hut, after the last
river crossing.
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Reply By: Robin Miller - Monday, Jun 08, 2009 at 15:10
Monday, Jun 08, 2009 at 15:10
It can take a bit of work to recover in that area apwaddo , although they have now closed the really good track that went from the hut directly up the ridge to the top. When that track was open it enabled a loop drive instead of the dead end at top crossing hut.
Actually my little profile picture is of making it up they track, not all cars did and we had some fun assiting a black rolled patrol there , then a range rover which snapped another diff as
well and also a Prado that cracked its tranfer case on
the rock in that last
river crossing and had to be flat bedded
home - oh and when we got to the top, one of our mates was over exuberant and tried to rush down a can of coke , swallowing the ring pull , so we rushed him to
Mansfield hospital whilst towing the range rover - on reflection its wasn't the most efficent weekend we have had.
So I can appreciate the effort those guys went to to recover the cruiser.
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Follow Up By: Twinkles - Monday, Jun 08, 2009 at 20:47
Monday, Jun 08, 2009 at 20:47
Hi Robin, I did that track on motor bike years ago. It was very steep and rutted. Came down it in a Suzuki Stockman another time. Next time I went up there (a few years) it was closed. One of my party flipped their bike going up. I think it joined Buckland Spur track.
I'm off to
Darwin in a month!
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