Resident’s plea after deadly fall

THE tragic death of 17-yearold Margaret Lore in January 2017 was not the first fatal fall at the Blackmans Bay blowhole cliffs.

Albert George Mudge was 14 years old when he fell to his death at the blowhole after he reportedly climbed the fence with other children on September 26, 1961.

Elsje Steen, 66, who spent most of her life living in Roslyn Ave, Kingston Beach, was nine at the time and remembers the day “vividly”.

“I saw the ambulance scream past my house and what followed in terms of community response was very sad,” she said.

“Albert was well-known in the village and I have fond memories of this likeable boy with the owl-rimmed glasses.

“His death affected so many of us.”

Ms Steen wrote to Kingborough councillors two days after Ms Lore’s death to “implore” them to take action immediately with a replacement fence and new signage, but said nothing had changed in more than 50 years.

“When I visited as an adult it looked the same,” she said.

She said procrastinating over the ownership of the land was not an excuse for inaction.

“While tragedy is often the impetus needed to get action, in this case it is not one death but two,” she said.

“There is absolutely no need to wait for a coroner’s report … it is not safe.”

She said the fence at Eaglehawk Neck was a reasonable height and a good example of a barrier to deter people from climbing over.

“I just thought it would be a given that they would act in the interests of the community [after the January 2017 death,” Ms Steen said.

There is absolutely no need to wait for a coroner’s report … it is not safe