6 days ago
Hikers rescued from Mount Cougal after chilly night in dense bushland
Two hikers have been airlifted to safety after a chilly night on Mount Cougal in the Gold Coast hinterland.
The pair set out on a day hike along the trail near the Queensland-New South Wales border on Sunday morning but got lost while returning from the summit.
Police and emergency services were called at about 6pm on Sunday and made contact with the man and woman on the mountain.
Navigating the rough terrain in the dark was deemed too risky for rescue crews and the couple had no choice but to endure low temperatures during the night.
On Monday morning a rescue helicopter winched them both to safety at about 9am.
Helicopter crew member Brendan Scoffell said the thick tree canopy made it necessary to winch him 50 metres to the ground.
Once there he secured each hiker in a harness before travelling back up the cable with them individually.
"For our winch cable it's about a minute to go from the bottom of the cable all the way back up into the aircraft," Mr Scoffell said.
He said neither hiker was dressed for the overnight conditions but they were in good spirits despite having sustained some minor cuts.
"You don't go out on a Sunday hike aiming to stay out overnight into Monday, but it's a good reminder to prepare for the worst case scenario and take that warmer clothing in case you do get stuck," Mr Scoffell said.
Robin Baker from the Gold Coast Bushwalking Club said the trails on Mt Cougal could be challenging for some hikers.
"Some of the terrain is very heavy with lawyer cane, or what we call 'wait-a-while', which is very sharp and it tends to get caught up in the undergrowth," she said.
Ms Baker said even people familiar with the area had faced challenges because of damage caused during ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
"Areas that were fairly clear are now covered in downed trees and you've got to get over it, under it, or around it safely," she said.
Ms Baker said conditions on the mountain would have been "very uncomfortable" overnight.
"The sun does not get in there — it's cold and it's damp," she said.
Both hikers were medically assessed at the base of the mountain but neither required hospital treatment.
