A prominent New Zealand lawyer has died while mountain climbing in Australia.
Lee Lee Heah, 69, suffered a fatal fall on Tuesday while climbing Mount Arapiles, a world renowned rock climbing spot in western Victoria.
Emergency crews were called to the area about 3.30pm after the woman fell about eight metres from the final section of the climb, known as Esmiko Nell.
Veteran climber Zorba Parer, who was visiting the mountain separately to Ms Heah heard a cry and free climbed 80m up the rock face without a harness to reach her.
Two other climbers also followed him up the mountain, while another pair at the top abseiled down about 30m.
‘I could see a body wedged in the crack which didn’t look good, it looked like she had fallen directly on the ledge,’ Mr Parer told the ABC.
‘I scrambled up and checked on her, there was no pulse,’ he said.
He said he pulled up the woman’s belay partner and he, assisted by the five others, commenced CPR.
It took about 20 minutes to reach Ms Heah and another 20 minutes before a police rescue helicopter arrived.
A report will be prepared for the Coroner.
Tributes to Ms Heah have been shared on social media.
‘She was well known for her rock climbing skills, having scaled many mountains in all parts of the world,’ her brother Mike Heah said.
‘She was also a well known surfer. She simply loved the outdoors.’
Another person said Ms Heah ‘loved life, she loved her friends and family and was the best friend ever’.
‘What a beautiful inspiring soul. I will miss your infectious laugh and your fabulous sense of humour,’ another said.
President of the Canterbury branch of the Criminal Bar Association, Nicola Hansen, said Ms Heah was ‘a fierce advocate, utterly unflappable in court, and represented her clients with unwavering determination.
‘Her adventures outside the courtroom were legendary and awe inspiring, a true testament to her bravery and indomitable spirit.’
The Victorian Labor government has recently announced permanent climbing bans on more than half of the routes at Mt Arapiles after temporary bans on some sections were introduced in recent years.
Mount Arapiles draws in climbers from across Australia and the world as it is considered one of the best rock climbing areas in the country.
The proposed plan, done in consultation with the Barengi Gadjin Land Council (BGLC), prohibits new routes and walking ‘off track’, even for bushwalkers.
It will introduce ‘designated areas’ as the only approved climbing locations which will result in 63 per cent of previously climbable terrain being off limits.
Recreational activities will also not be permitted near cultural heritage areas, though it is unclear where the boundaries will be drawn.
According to the Save Grampians Climbing organisation, climbers make up 90 per cent of all visitors to Mt Arapiles State Park, with visitation levels exceeding 50,000 people a year.
Declaration Crag in the Arapiles National park has already been formally closed through a ‘protection declaration’ with maximum penalties for contravention being a $297,000 fine for an individual.
‘No actual climbing organization was consulted about these climbing area bans at Arapiles,’ the group said.
‘Climbing Victoria, the peak body representing outdoor climbers in Victoria, and the Australian Climbing Association Victoria were both blindsided by the announcement on Melbourne Cup Eve’.
