Hiking incidents have surged in Stirling Range National Park, located about 337 kilometers southeast of Perth, with a fourfold increase in rescues reported this year. Emergency services attribute this rise to a significant uptick in visitors to the popular hiking destination.

Each year, over 50,000 people summit Bluff Knoll, the park's highest peak. However, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) has noted a steady increase in rescue incidents. So far in 2024, rescue crews have responded to 12 incidents, compared to just three during the same period last year. This year, four individuals have already been rescued.

In one recent month, three hikers aged between 40 and 80 were airlifted or assisted down the mountain in separate incidents. Earlier this year, a rock climber who was injured spent more than 24 hours stranded on the bluff before being rescued in a large-scale operation.

Craig Waters, deputy commissioner of operations at DFES, stated that an average of 25 personnel from various emergency services are involved in each rescue operation. He noted that rescues can take up to eight hours, with some lasting longer due to challenging conditions. "Severe weather can make rescues difficult, particularly on a summit like Bluff Knoll where volunteers need to hike the steep ascent with heavy equipment to get to injured or stranded people in the heat, wind, or rain," Waters explained.

He added that while aircraft, including the RAC Rescue helicopter, can assist in rescues, unpredictable weather can hinder their operations.

Peter Blows, manager of the Gnowangerup State Emergency Service (SES), highlighted that the increase in rescue calls correlates with the growing number of visitors to the national park. "We just seem to be getting more and more calls down there, but I think that's to do with the number of people now that are discovering our lovely area," he said.

Blows noted that most of the individuals rescued had the necessary gear but struggled with hydration in hot conditions.

The rise in rescues has also been linked to the popularity of wilderness hiking on social media. Jeff McDonell, president of Bushwalking Australia, pointed out that casual group outings often lack experienced leadership. "Bushwalking has become quite popular, especially in the social media groups where people get together casually and somebody says, 'Let's go to such and such an area' and then they turn up and shoot off for a walk," he said.

McDonell emphasized that while accidents can happen to even seasoned hikers, many rescues stem from inexperience and inadequate preparation. He noted that organized bushwalking clubs typically have trained leaders and adhere to safety protocols, such as never hiking alone and carrying personal locator beacons (PLBs).

He cited a recent incident in Lederderg Gorge, near Melbourne, where a group of 25 hikers got lost during a day walk without proper lighting.

In other regions, such as the Northern Territory and Tasmania, there have been similar rescue incidents. McDonell suggested that national parks could take a more proactive approach to safety, such as loaning out PLBs to hikers, a practice already in place in New South Wales. "I think there's a role for the national parks to take a more proactive role," he said. "In NSW, parks are loaning out PLBs for free, and we were looking at that in Victoria."