TRANSCRIPT
What was supposed to be a day hike in Victoria's Cathedral Range in late February almost took a fatal turn for Stoj Jovevski.
He says he was near the top of a 1,200 metre ridge with a group of friends when he slipped.
"I think there was a tricky section where it was narrow and the footing wasn't even. I went through that section maybe a little bit too quickly, lost balance and then fell over onto a ledge. I tried to grab onto something there was nothing to grab on, so I slid off that and free fell down another four or five metres."
The 43-year-old says he fractured his pelvis, wrist and vertebrae in the six metre fall.
["I wasn't able to walk. I was in a lot of pain. Yeah, I couldn't even move my legs a few inches, it was incredibly painful."
The group made the call to triple zero and specialist teams arrived to try and get Mr Jovevski to safety.
State Emergency Service volunteers and an Ambulance Victoria paramedic treated him on the scene.
But getting Mr Jovevski off the mountain on a day with temperatures over 35 degrees wasn't straightforward.
A team of over 20 rescuers had to move him in three separate stages in an operation that took around six hours.
Steve Ellis, the Leading Senior Constable of Victoria's Search and Rescue Squad says the rescue took a lot of effort and planning.
[["We realised pretty quickly that we weren't going to be able to carry Stoj out given the terrain etcetera. So we formulated a plan and that plan involved setting up a roping system, which was a little bit technical given the terrain we working in. We were able to get Stoj into a stretcher, establish a rope system, haul him up to the top of the ridgeline where we were able to call in our air asset to then winch him out to safety and medical help."]]
The Point Cook man was flown to a Melbourne hospital, where he was treated for several weeks for serious back injuries.
On Monday, he reunited with the rescuers who saved his life.
He thanked the police and SES members with flowers.
"It's fantastic to be able to show a bit of gratitude and thankfulness for the amazing job that they've done. It was an incredibly tricky rescue, difficult location, very risky, took a number of hours in hot conditions. So it's fantastic to be able to say thank you face to face."
Mr Jovevski says his experience makes him feel fortunate to live in Australia.
"We must never forget the wonderful jobs that the police, the ambulance, the doctors, nurses, the S-E-S, the fire brigades, C-F-A -- all these services do for us. We're all incredibly lucky to be living in Australia to have these wonderful men and women and organisations that can help us out."
Mr Ellis says it was all part of the job.
"Being able to help someone in their time of need, that's why we do the job. I think it's the best part about it and to put those skills -- that we've worked pretty hard to get and maintain -- to put them to good use, it's quite satisfying."
Bec Maratos from the S-E-S also warns about the unpredictability and dangerous conditions in Victoria's Cathedral Range State Park and says not all walkers are as lucky as Mr Jovevski after his fall.
"Make sure you've got a jacket, a headtorch in case it's gonna get dark, make sure you prepare for any conditions. It was a really hot, blisteringly hot day. There's no shade up there when we were up there with Stoj and completing that rescue but as we were going back down in the dark there were thunderstorms rolling in. So you never know what weather conditions you might get. So, just being prepared and have more water than you think you might need."
After several weeks in hospital, Mr Jovevski says he still has months of rehab ahead of him.
However, he says the experience won't stop him from continuing to bushwalk in the future.
"For sure it won't stop me. Probably won't be doing a grade five hike, probably just the easier, more picturesque type hikes, that's kind of my thing anyway."
