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Teen lifesaver's heroic rescue after cliff jump

<p>A teen lifesaver has been praised for her heroic effort to rescue three boys stranded in a cave, after a cliff jump went wrong. </p> <p>With temperatures soaring up to 37C near the coast in Sydney, many locals decided to go to the beach to escape the heat. One group of teenage boys decided to go cliff jumping over the Warriewood Blowhole, north of Manly. </p> <p>But, things started to go wrong when one 15-year-old boy slammed his head on the water after diving from the cliff, leaving him semi-unconscious. </p> <p>As his two friends clambered over rocks to move him into a cave below the cliff, the trio quickly became stranded as waves pounded the rocks. </p> <p>Lifesaver Saskia Rundle Towbridge, 16, was quick to jump into action, hopping into the rubber duck and bravely manoeuvring her way through rough waves to rescue the boys. </p> <p>“The waves were pretty big, especially when I was coming in,” she told <em>Nine</em>. </p> <p>“I got thrown up against them, and the cord of my rescue tube was stuck on the rocks, so I was being battered for about two minutes.”</p> <p>She eventually made it onto the rocks and was able to swim the boys back to the boat.</p> <p>The injured teen was treated by lifesavers before an ambulance was called, as he was disoriented and couldn't remember where he was. </p> <p>The 15-year-old was taken to Northern Beaches Hospital and is in a stable condition. </p> <p><em>Images: Nine</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Positive news for injured WA police officer in Croatia

<p>A fundraiser set up for a WA police officer who was injured in an<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/police-officer-in-critical-condition-after-terrifying-cliff-fall" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> unfortunate cliff fall </a>reached its $500,000 target. </p> <p>Ella Cutler was left fighting for her life after falling off a cliff top while on vacation in Croatia, and her loved ones set up a GoFundMe to help pay for her medical bills and bring her home via air ambulance. </p> <p>Now, Ella is out of the ICU with horrific injuries to her body, including her head and spine.</p> <p>Her friends and family members have been overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support from strangers who donated, and said that Ella still has a "long road" to recovery, with many surgeries to go. </p> <p>"There's been people that have donated, which is just so heartwarming to see Ella's story has really touched them," friend and fellow police officer Constable Dani Morrison said. </p> <p>"They've never met her and they still donated."</p> <p>Ella will undergo another surgery next week before she can fly home to Perth. </p> <p>Ella, and a 34-year-old Australian man were both injured after they fell 10 metres from a cliff near Fort Lovrijenac, in the Dubrovnik suburb of Piles on August 26.</p> <p>Her family have asked for donations after revealing that Ella's travel insurance denied her claim. </p> <p>As of today, the <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-us-bring-ella-home#xd_co_f=NDIzY2U3YjUtNTQ2Yi00MjhjLWEwNTMtNGNhZTMyZmNiMzc0~" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> has raised $517,125. </p> <p><em>Image: WA Police</em></p>

Caring

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Police officer in critical condition after terrifying cliff fall

<p>A WA police officer is fighting for her life after she was severely injured in a 10m fall from a clifftop in Pile, Croatia. </p> <p>Ella Cutler, 25, sustained life threatening injuries including multiple fractures to her skull, spine, 12 ribs and several limbs, puncturing both her lungs, leaving her in critical condition overseas. </p> <p>She is currently receiving around-the-clock care in a Dubrovnik hospital, and her family is desperate to bring the "much loved" police officer home. </p> <p>"We can only imagine how scared she would be if she knew the full extent of her injuries, and we cannot even begin to convey how frightened we are for her, and how important it is for her to come home," her brother Joshua Cutler wrote in a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-us-bring-ella-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page created for Ella. </p> <p>"She has too much living left to do, too many people to help, and too much love to give for this to be how this chapter ends.</p> <p>"She has a long hard road ahead of her, and she will need all the help she can get," he added. </p> <p>Although her loved ones have flown to be by her side, her travel insurance claims have reportedly been knocked back, and her medical bills are increasing by the day. </p> <p>The family hopes to raise $500,000 to cover hospital bills and an air ambulance to bring the “devoted public servant” home. </p> <p>“She will require many more months of care, multiple surgeries and months of physical rehabilitation before she is able to impact the world as she once did,” Josh said.</p> <p>"She can't do this alone, and neither can we," he added. </p> <p>They also thanked the doctors for their hard work, and explained that they hope to provide better facilities for Ella by moving her to a bigger hospital where she can receive specialised care, which is vital for further recovery. </p> <p>"They know the best thing for her is to be home where she can feel the full impact of the love from her family, friends, and community."</p> <p><em>Images: 7News</em></p>

Caring

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SAS soldier claims Ben Roberts-Smith catapulted unarmed man off cliff

<p dir="ltr">A former SAS soldier <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-28/ben-roberts-smith-trial-hears-more-evidence-from-afghanistan/100856732" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has said</a> he witnessed Ben Roberts-Smith kick and “catapult” an unarmed, handcuffed Afghan man over a slope before he was killed while testifying before a Sydney court.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Roberts-Smith launched a defamation case against The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times early last year over several articles he claims contained false allegations of unlawful killings, domestic violence, and bullying.</p> <p dir="ltr">The trial has continued with the testimony of Person 4, a former Special Air Services soldier who was with Mr Roberts-Smith during a 2012 September mission in Darwan, in relation to a central allegation in the case.</p> <p dir="ltr">Person 4 told the court on Monday that an Afghan man with a donkey was searched, questioned and taken prisoner, becoming a PUC (person under control) of the Australian soldiers.</p> <p dir="ltr">The witness said he later saw the handcuffed man being held by a colleague referred to in court as Person 11, with his back towards a slope.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At the same time, I noticed Ben Roberts-Smith, he had walked to a position maybe three to four metres away,” Person 4 said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“As I was trying to understand what was happening, he turned around and walked forward and kicked the individual in the chest.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The individual was catapulted backwards and fell down the slope.<br />“I saw the individual’s face strike a large rock and sustain a serious injury. He had knocked out a number of his teeth, including his front teeth.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Person 4 said he was “in shock” and that the man, who was injured and lying at the bottom of the slope in a dry creek bed, failed to sit up.</p> <p dir="ltr">He said Mr Roberts-Smith directed him and Person 11 to grab the man “and start to drag him” towards a tree.</p> <p dir="ltr">At that point, Person 4 said Mr Roberts-Smith and Person 11 had a “quick conversation” which he didn’t hear and was followed by two to three shots.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though he didn’t witness the shots, Person 4 turned around to see Person 11 in a “position to shoot”.</p> <p dir="ltr">He said that when the man’s body was photographed, there was an ICOM radio next to him. However, he said he didn’t see how it got there and that the man didn’t have it when he was being questioned.</p> <p dir="ltr">When he noticed the radio was “slightly wet” and had a fogged-up screen, he said, “It dawned on me that I did know where it had come from.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Person 4 previously told the court that Mr Roberts-Smith took items off a dead enem prior to their arrival in Darwan, including a detonation cord and a radio - which he carried while crossing a river to return to the patrol.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Roberts-Smith has previously told the court that a suspected Taliban “spotter” was killed that day in a cornfield, but has denied other details including that he was kicked off a cliff.</p> <p dir="ltr">Person 4 claimed that Mr Roberts-Smith later outlined a “story” to him, Person 11, and a third colleague referred to as Person 56, about the man and the slope.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Your Honour, it was words to the effect of ‘the story is that we engaged a spotter whilst moving to our HLS’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The trial will continue before Justice Anthony Besanko.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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“That’s not a cliff”: Ben Roberts-Smith downplays fresh allegations in court

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The case between Ben Roberts-Smith and <em>The Age</em>, <em>The Sydney Morning Herald</em>, and <em>The Canberra Times</em> newspapers, as well as several journalists, has recommenced, with an Afghan villager currently testifying.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The man has told the court a radio device was planted on the farmer’s dead body the day he was allegedly killed.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The claim ties into the central allegation that the war veteran kicked a handcuffed, unarmed famer named Ali Jan over a cliff during a September 2012 mission.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nine Entertainment Co, the publisher of two of the papers, alleges Mr Roberts-Smith made an agreement with Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) colleagues to execute Ali Jan, which the soldiers then attempted to cover up.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Roberts-Smith has denied all wrongdoing and previously recalled in court that he encountered a suspected Taliban spotter in Darwan who was legitimately engaged and killed.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mohammad Hanifa, who says he is Ali Jan’s step-nephew, told Sydney’s Federal Court through an interpreter and via video link that he and Ali Jan were interrogated and beaten up by soldiers during a raid on the village.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He said one soldier told him to “shut up” and pointed a pistol at his forehead after he denied being a Taliban member.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Hanifa said there was an interpreter with the group and described one of the men as a “big soldier” with “blue eyes”, who punched him “many times”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He said he warned Ali Jan not to laugh or smile, and that he saw Ali Jan “kicked really hard” by the big soldier after Ali Jan smiled again.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He was rolling down, rolling down, until he reached the river,” Mr Hanifa said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The soldier was looking at him, he was standing there and looking at him.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He said he then heard a shot and saw two soldiers “dragging” Ali Jan.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When the witness was shown a photograph of the dead man, he identified the man as Ali Jan and became animated when he saw a device in the photo.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“These other things, the bag and the other device, they were not there,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“They have put these things on his body.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Barrister Nicholas Owens SC, who is representing Nine, asked the witness whether he had seen Ali Jan carrying a radio that day.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“By God, by God, he had nothing with him,” Mr Hanifa replied.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Earlier, Mr Hanifa said the farmer was not connected to the Taliban.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He was providing for his children and he was protecting his family and his property.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The trial had been on hold for a month due to Sydney’s COVID-19 outbreak, but has since resumed after concerns were raised regarding the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan which could make it difficult to hear from Afghan witnesses.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Hanifa’s testimony comes as </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Sydney Morning Herald </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Age</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> revealed an image of Mr Roberts-Smith which was altered by the Department of Defence.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 335px; height: 223px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842683/7ab17256de68be9cbd6e333ff20fcb433ddc0944.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2e9957241a6b46a6a632eda515190197" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: ADF</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The photo, released in early 2011, shows Mr Roberts-Smith wearing a blank patch on the front of his uniform.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The newspapers allege they have obtained the original photo, taken on April 6 2010, which shows Mr Roberts-Smith wearing the Crusader’s Cross.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Crusader’s Cross symbol dates back to the Crusades in the Middle East during the 11th and 12 centuries.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many Muslims find the symbol offensive, especially when it is displayed by western soldiers in their country.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">EDITOR’S UPDATE</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While under cross-examination by Bruce McClintock SC, Mr Roberts-Smith’s barrister, the farmer agreed that he referred to the soldiers who had conducted the raids on the villages as infidels.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr McClintock asked whether Mr Hanifa “hated” the soldiers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If they are coming to our houses, go inside to our women, of course that’s what you call them - infidels,” the witness said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr McClintock also accused Mr Hanifa on several occasions of lying to the court, including his description of the uniform of the “big soldier”, which he described as wet and sandy. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The court had previously heard Mr Roberts-Smith had swum across a river to catch a suspected Taliban member prior to the raid.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The evidence you’ve given about seeing the big soldier wet is completely untrue, isn’t it?” Mr McClintock asked.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Whether you call it a lie that’s up to you, but I have seen this person with my own eyes,” Mr Hanifa replied.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Key images of the “cliff” from which Ali Jan is alleged to have been kicked have also been released to the public.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The photographs of Mr Hanifa’s village had been marked by Mr Roberts-Smith while he gave evidence several weeks earlier.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 199.41634241245137px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842692/capture.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c144cfe3755e4628938144e11a1abd37" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Federal Court of Australia</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the locations, marked as point “B” on the photograph, is a source of contention, with Mr Roberts-Smith saying it represented a rooftop where his squad waited for extraction after the mission, whereas Nine claim it represents the area where Ali Jan was kicked into the creek bed.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While looking at photographs and images showing a steep embankment down into the creek, the veteran told the court: “A cliff is a cliff - and that’s not a cliff to me.”</span></p>

Legal

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Tourist survives 35m fall off a CLIFF

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Tourist Alex Tridico, 28, has survived a fall off a 35-metre cliff into the sea in the UK.</p> <p>Tridico fell off Old Harry Rocks in Dorset while he was out for a walk with some friends.</p> <p>He told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/14839044/tourist-incredible-escape-death-dorset-cliff/" target="_blank"><em>The Sun</em></a><span> </span>that he believes he survived by pushing away from the edge of the cliff as he fell.</p> <p>“It’s just sheer luck I survived, everybody is stunned I’m not dead, I’ve only got minor injuries considering how far I fell,” he explained.</p> <p>"I had about three or four seconds when I realised I was going to drop, I thought 'right, well this is it I'm going to die'.</p> <p>"It was terrifying, but I knew I had to push myself away from the cliff edge, otherwise I'd land in too shallow water.</p> <p>"I'm incredibly lucky to still be alive."</p> <p>Tridico currently remains in hospital with a punctured lung and three fractured ribs.</p> <p>He was luckily rescued by some kayakers who gave him first aid before he was whisked away by an ambulance.</p> <p>Lifeboatman Ian Brown said that it was a miracle Alex survived the fall.</p> <p>"The tide was in at the time and he landed in the water.</p> <p>"It wouldn't have been that deep, probably 4ft at most.</p> <p>"He is incredibly lucky to have suffered relatively minor injuries."</p> <p><em>Photo credits:<span> </span></em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/14839044/tourist-incredible-escape-death-dorset-cliff/" target="_blank"><em>The Sun</em></a></p> </div> </div> </div>

Travel Trouble

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Discover what life is like underground in White Cliffs

<p>The local landscape of White Cliffs can border on the surreal. Like any small town, White Cliffs has the obligatory pub and a general store, but on our visit they appeared to be closed for the day. The petrol station looked deserted and the local restaurant claiming to have the best casseroles in town was empty.<span> </span><br /><br />Apart from The Stubbie House — a home built out of 54,000 bottles — and the abandoned Solar Power Station there wasn’t much else to see. It may seem like a ghost town, but the truth is a little stranger – it’s because the majority of the White Cliffs community live in holes under the ground.<span> </span><br /><br />Located in outback New South Wales, 255km northeast of Broken Hill, White Cliffs’ residents started living in dugouts in the early 1890s. Miners built extensive underground homes in the hillside to avoid the intense heat — with summer temperatures that consistently reach over 40°C.<br /><br />Today, it mixes tourism with opal mining, offering visitors a unique perspective to outback living. There are around 100 dugout homes still in use in White Cliffs, making them fascinating to visit.<span> </span><br /><br />A great example of one of the homes is the beautifully carved residence of Cree Marshall and Lindsay White. As you enter their abode, there is something at every corner that will catch your eye — the ornamental wooden harp, the towering tree stump standing at the centre of the kitchen, even the recycled geometric floor tiles.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/3663406/dug-out-tour-underground-white-cliffs.jpg" alt="Dug -out -tour -underground --white -cliffs" width="700" height="400" /><em>Cree and Lindsay's stunning 'White House'</em></p> <p>The pair have been progressively renovating their home into a remarkable subterranean dwelling and offer tours at $10 per person between 11am and 2pm. Well worth the price, the home is located beside the<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.redearthopal.com/" target="_blank"><span>Red Earth Opal Cafe</span></a>.</p> <p>But it’s not just about underground living. Off the Barrier Highway at Wilcannia, midway between Broken Hill and Cobar, head northbound to White Cliffs’ Opal Fields where you’ll be transported to a moonscape terrain of around 50,000 diggings.<br /><br />While the mining boom has diminished, opal is still being found at White Cliffs and what better way to get an insight into the historic diggings of the 1890s than by visiting an underground working opal mine.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/3663403/red-opal-cafe-entrance-white-cliffs.jpg" alt="Red -opal -cafe -entrance -white -cliffs" width="700" height="400" /><br /><em>You can also book an opal mine tour at the local Red Earth Opal Cafe</em></p> <p>Walk down into the shaft and discover the gritty reality of mining. You know you’ve struck it big when you’ve unearthed the brilliant gem ‘pineapples’, but these are very rare, so rare in fact, that they have only ever been found in White Cliffs.</p> <p>While fossicking for the elusive opal may not go as planned, you can always head by the local opal store and pick up one of the precious stones, which can often be cheaper than the ones in major retail outlets.</p> <p style="text-align: center;" class="float-image-right"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/3663404/stairwell-star-gazing-white-cliffs-hotel.jpg" alt="Stairwell -star -gazing -white -cliffs -hotel" width="300" height="450" /><em>White Cliffs' Underground Motel is a great place to escape the heat</em></p> <p>Looking for a special place to stay overnight? Immerse yourself in the local experience with a stay at the famous<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://undergroundmotel.com.au/" target="_blank"><span>White Cliffs Underground Motel</span></a>.</p> <p>Located on a mesa locally known as ‘Poor Man’s Hill’ (due to its lack of opal), this man-made underground lodge welcomes travellers with a unique experience. Switch off from the world above and see first-hand what it is like living in a dugout.</p> <p>The maze of passageways lead you to a stairwell that take you up to the star gazing room where you can see the brilliant night sky and can enjoy the vast sunsets and sunrises.</p> <p>There’s also a small on-site History and Cultural Centre for those interested to learn more about the community.</p> <p>Insulated from the harsh outback heat, the indoors remain at a cool and comfortable 22 degrees all year round.</p> <p>White Cliffs is a comfortable<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.tristate.com.au/tours-old/2-day-opal-dreaming-tour" target="_blank"><span>two-day tour</span></a><span> </span>from Broken Hill, allowing you to experience a true outback experience, underground.</p> <p>Have you ever been to outback NSW? Where’s your favourite road trip?</p> <p><em>Written by <span>Maria Angela Parajo. Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/travel/life-underground-in-white-cliffs-nsw.aspx" target="_blank">Wyza.com.au</a>.</span></em></p>

Domestic Travel

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"People screaming" – plane scarily hangs on edge of cliff

<p>A plane with 162 passengers on board has skidded off a runway just metres away from toppling over a cliff into the sea as it landed at an airport in northern Turkey.</p> <p>The Pegasus Airlines flight took off smoothly from Turkish capital Ankara but as it landed in Trabzont the plane skidded off the runway.</p> <p>No one was injured or killed in the landing.</p> <p>Dramatic images from CNN Turk broadcaster show the plane precariously hanging off a cliff several metres from the Black Sea.</p> <p><img width="476" height="263" src="https://s.yimg.com/iu/api/res/1.2/6SYfKoB5XHd.xCQ5yaC2JA--~D/cm90YXRlPWF1dG87dz05NjA7YXBwaWQ9eXZpZGVv/https://s.yimg.com/cv/ae/default/180114/turkeyplane2.jpg" class="article-figure-image" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Pegasus Airlines confirmed in a statement on Sunday there were no injuries and the 162 passengers as well as two pilots and four cabin crew were evacuated safely.</p> <p>An investigation is under way to find the cause of the incident, the Trabzon governor’s office said.</p> <p><img width="482" height="266" src="https://s.yimg.com/iu/api/res/1.2/tMQUCPX36rGaKDr.fQWLXQ--~D/cm90YXRlPWF1dG87dz05NjA7YXBwaWQ9eXZpZGVv/https://s.yimg.com/cv/ae/default/180114/turkeyplane3.jpg" class="article-figure-image" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Fatma Gordu, one of the passengers on board, described the panic on-board during the landing.</p> <p> “We tilted to the side, the front was down while the plane’s rear was up. There was panic; people shouting, screaming,” she told state-run news agency Anadolu.</p> <p>“When they told us to leave from the rear exit, everyone tried to push ahead of everyone else. It was a terrible situation.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Pegasus Airlines skidded out of the runway at Trabzon Airport. New photos in daylight shows Boeing 737 next to the sea. Photos from different Turkish media. <a href="https://t.co/KB4hAZiIE9">pic.twitter.com/KB4hAZiIE9</a></p> — Turkish Air News (@AnalystTK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnalystTK/status/952450620627222528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>She said the passengers could smell fuel and feared that a fire would break out.</p> <p>“That is why we were scared,” she said, adding that there were pregnant women and children on board.</p> <p>The airport was temporarily shut before reopening on Sunday.</p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

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Why Cape Pillar is scariest cliff in the known universe

<p>Set foot on the edge of the earth.</p> <p><strong>What is it?</strong></p> <p>When a site has the unofficial name of ‘The Scariest Cliff in the Known Universe’, you know they mean business. At Cape Pillar in the Tasman National Park you will find the tallest sea cliffs in the Southern Hemisphere. They rise straight up from the dark blue waters of the Southern Ocean, soaring to a stomach-lurching 300 metres. The views are incredible, stretching out over an endless ocean, across to Bruny Island and back northwest towards Hobart. Tiptoe up to the edge – if you dare.</p> <p><strong>Where is it?</strong></p> <p>Cape Pillar is at the southeastern tip of the Tasman Peninsula, which is in the southeast of the main island of Tasmania. The drive from Hobart takes around one hour. It is the most southeasterly point of Australia and there is essentially nothing beyond it until you reach Antarctica.</p> <p><strong>How can I visit?</strong></p> <p>Get ready for a considerable hike. The sea cliffs at Cape Pillar are a two-day roundtrip walk from Fortescue Bay, around 30 kilometres to the north. You will need to cover 22 kilometres on the first day and eight kilometres on the second day, camping overnight at Wughalee Falls. Cape Pillar is also part of the newly developed Three Capes Track, a three-night, 46-kilometre route that opened in 2015. It starts in Port Arthur with a boat ride across the bay and then hugs (very close) to the coastline. You’ll need to be able to carry your own pack and provisions, and have a reasonable level of fitness.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JKG2O_YRHE8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>You can also see the cliffs from the water. Short cruises sail between Eaglehawk Neck (a narrow isthmus that joins the Forestier and Tasman peninsulas) and Port Arthur. Small boats will pass close to the base of the cliffs, giving an incredible perspective straight up the face.</p> <p>Have you ever visited Cape Pillar?</p> <p><em><strong>Have you arranged your travel insurance yet? Save money with Over60 Travel Insurance. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://elevate.agatravelinsurance.com.au/oversixty?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=link1&amp;utm_campaign=travel-insurance" target="_blank">To arrange a quote, click here.</a></span> Or for more information, call 1800 622 966.</strong></em></p>

International Travel

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Goats defy gravity on cliffs

<p>They’re called mountain goats for a reason, because these furry, hooved animals seemly defy gravity to climb death-defying cliffs. Where are they going? How do they do it with hooves?!</p><p>We’ll stick to the stairs, thanks.</p><p><img width="499" height="620" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9209/2_499x620.jpg" alt="2 (65)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p><p><img width="500" height="479" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9210/3_500x479.jpg" alt="3 (61)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p><p><img width="499" height="665" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9211/4_499x665.jpg" alt="4 (58)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p><p><img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9212/5_500x375.jpg" alt="5 (56)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p><p><img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9213/6_500x375.jpg" alt="6 (54)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p><p><img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9214/7_500x333.jpg" alt="7 (47)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p><p><img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9215/9_500x375.jpg" alt="9 (36)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p><p><strong>Related links:</strong></p><p><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="/lifestyle/pets/2015/09/caterpillar-beats-bulldog/">Watch: Caterpillar beats bulldog in fight</a></span></em></strong></p><p><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="/lifestyle/pets/2015/08/signs-your-pet-is-sick/">10 signs your pet is sick</a></span></em></strong></p><p><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="/lifestyle/pets/2015/07/pets-improve-health/">How can having pets improve your health? Let us count the ways</a></span></em></strong></p>

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