There was no break this Christmas Day for CFA crews who were called to a cliff rescue at around 2.30pm on 25 December near the Cumberland River.
While out for a Christmas Day walk with friends, a man lost his footing, slipped down the cliff and broke his ankle.
It was a multi-agency rescue with crews from Apollo Bay, Lorne and Wye River brigades working with Lorne SES and Ambulance Victoria.
Geelong Rescue was also called to assist, however the situation was under control before they arrived at the scene.
Incident Controller and Second Lieutenant of Lorne Fire Brigade Neil Hilliard commented on the hard work of all those involved.
“It took just over an hour and a half to complete the rescue, with the Ambulance Victoria helicopter used to winch him from the location and then airlift him to hospital.
“All agencies worked quickly to get the man out of the tricky spot, with challenging terrain.
“With high tide coming in, we had to move him quickly.
“This is the third year in a row we’ve had Christmas calls and a reminder that whether you’re travelling or at home, to stay vigilant when it comes to keeping yourself and others safe this time of year.
“It wasn’t just Christmas spirit, but a show of agency interoperability when it comes to protecting the lives of Victorians 365 days a year.”