ALLIGATOR CREEK DRAMATIC RESCUE
A WOMAN had to be flown out of rough terrain at Alligator Creek after she fell on rocks and broke her leg while visiting the popular swimming spot.
The incident occurred about 800m from the nearby campgrounds and it took several hours for crews to be able to take the woman to hospital.
Queensland Ambulance Service officers received the call for help shortly before noon yesterday.
But due to the remoteness of the location they called Queensland Fire and Emergency Services for assistance in carrying the 52- year- old woman to safety.
The steep sides of the creek, thick bushland and slippery rocks made moving over the terrain difficult.
It took several officers nearly half an hour to stretcher the woman to open ground.
She was alert and conscious throughout the painful ordeal and required an umbrella to keep her shielded from the harsh sun.
A helicopter was called in after it was deemed too dangerous for rescue officers to proceed with carrying the woman.
The Queensland Government Air Rescue Helicopter crew was called at 3.10pm and arrived on the scene about 4pm.
A doctor and airman were lowered down to assess the woman before she was winched into the helicopter.
She was taken to Townsville Hospital in a stable condition.
A QGARH officer said the rescue was carried out in fine conditions and ground crews did a good job of moving the woman to an accessible location.
It is believed the person who phoned triple- 0 had to walk some distance due to the lack of reception at the swimming hole.
A QAS spokeswoman said a helicopter was not normally used for an incident involving broken bones, but the remoteness of the location and access difficulties meant it was necessary for officer safety and to prevent further injury to the patient.
In May, a woman was rescued after she was lost in bushland at Alligator Creek for nearly 12 hours after she became disoriented.