It was her first hiking trip up Mount Walsh with her family and while Joanne Turner got to witness the beauty at the summit, her journey down was anything but serene.
Mrs Turner travelled to the popular bushwalking location near Biggenden last Sunday with her daughter and husband, and lost her footing on the descent.
“In a split of a moment everything went wrong,” she said.
“I tripped and fractured my tib and fib in my right leg.”
Mrs Turner said she lay for an hour and a half in the hot sun and in excruciating pain while her family and many others came to her aid.
“My husband James and daughter Emily were so strong for me and were with me in every way to be by my side,” she said.
“Stuart, Andrew and Timmy were other hikers who also stopped to help and supported us all the way to the end.”
Mrs Turner said Triple 0 was called and a rescue chopper came to the scene but due to her inaccessible position could not lift her to safety.
“That's when the SES, ambulance officers and the rural firies came up the mountain to where we were,” she said.
“I was stretchered back down the mountain by about 16 people.
“They lost a lot of sweat in that journey carrying me on that stretcher!”
Mrs Turner was transported to Bundaberg Hospital by LifeFlight and on Monday underwent surgery to her right leg.
“I have had a pin and rod inserted into my right lower leg where I broke the tibia and fibula,” she said.
Thankful for Mount Walsh rescue
Mrs Turner said she was extremely thankful to all involved with her rescue.
“The doctors advised I will be off work for about three months,” she said.
“Thank you to everyone, from the ambulance officers, the SES, the LifeFlight staff, the firies and especially my family and the other hikers who were there that day.
“And to the brilliant hospital staff, getting such caring and professional treatment has just been so amazing.
“I am one lucky lady!”
