WATERFALL TRAGEDY
Mum, 58, plunged 160ft to her death at waterfall ‘in front of her horrified children’ on Mother’s Day
A MUM plunged 160ft to her death at a beauty spot waterfall in front of her horrified children on Mother’s Day, say reports.
The 58-year-old was crossing Windin Falls in Cairns, Far North Queensland, Australia, when she slipped in a natural infinity pool and was knocked out.
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Sunday afternoon's tragedy was watched by horrified witnesses who told how the power of the water then threw her to her death.
Blake Thomas told the : "She was in a pool, getting pushed back and forth.... the water was like rapids.
"It took her and threw her off the cliff."
He said the woman, was with her two children and her daughter's boyfriend, fell for a few seconds before hitting the water below.
"I saw her floating ages away at the end and watched the rescue helicopter retrieve her. Very eerie," he added.
Mother's Day was celebrated on Sunday in Australia.
Cops were called but it took a rescue helicopter, officers on foot and a drones around three hours to find her body.
The water in the infinity pool was particularly rough after days of torrential rain, revealed those at the scene.
State Emergency Service area controller Peter Rinaudo said it was a tragic death.
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"We activated members from our Atherton and Malanda crews and actually took an ATV (all-terrain vehicle) in through the walking track that leads to Windin Falls," .
"Unfortunately by the time we got there, it was determined that there was nothing that we could do to assist."
The falls have become a popular site for thrill-seekers and photographers because of the natural "infinity pool" which overlooks a rainforest valley.
"There's a couple of small pools that come from a nearby creek that then plummet straight over the side of a cliff face," Mr Rinaudo said.
"So if you are in the water in the creek it's just like an infinity pool and you can look down the gorges down towards Palmerston National Park.
"It's a very, very pretty place but one that can at times be quite dangerous as well."
The trek to the waterfall - which takes around 90 minutes - is only accessible through the Old Cairns Track in the Wooroonooran National Park.
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"Exercise extreme caution and stay back from the edges," the Tourism Tropical North Queensland website warns.
"There is a natural infinity pool at the top of the falls that drops deep into the valley below."
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Mr Thomas suggested there now needs to be more warnings at the site "or at least a safety rope or bars."
A report is being prepared for the Coroner by the police.
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