Albany authorities urge selfie-seekers to stay within safety barriers at The Gap

Australia Broadcast Center

30-04-2025

Authorities are fed up with visitors risking their lives for a social media selfie at a Western Australian coastal cliff where people have fallen to their deaths in recent years.
The Gap is one of the Great Southern region's most popular tourists attractions with hundreds of thousands of visitors flocking to the area to take in its breathtaking views.
Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit The Gap each year.
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ABC Great Southern: John Dobson
)
Department of Fire and Emergency Services Great Southern superintendent Wayne Green said the safety barriers at the site had been purpose built to ensure those visiting were able to get the most out of the experience without putting themselves in danger.
"For people to be ignoring the warnings out there and climbing over these barriers and putting themselves in harm's way [it's] your families that have to live through that and endure that," Mr Green said.
"Also our first responders that have to go out and recover these bodies. That's life-changing for our responders.
Posing for a selfie near the 40-metre-high cliff at The Gap.
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Supplied
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"
Accidents will occur, but if we can prevent them ourselves then we need to take all measures to prevent them.
"
In May 2018 a 20-year-old man
A group of teens photographed walking along the 40-metre-high cliff top edge on Saturday.
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Supplied
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Risk taking behaviour
Photos supplied to the ABC taken during the recent school holidays show various parties on the cliff beyond the safety barriers.
One Albany local said it was happening too often but was not sure more could be done.
"I don't think warnings make any difference to risk taking," she said.
"
I'm not sure what the solution is. Fines don't deter people.
"
Calls for help
The incidents occurred during a period when emergency services were stretched responding to numerous calls for assistance.
Popular tourist site The Gap on Albany's south coast.
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Supplied: Josh Sala Tenna
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On April 20
Sixteen State Emergency Service volunteers from Albany, Mount Barker and a crew from Albany Career Fire and Rescue Service attended.
They were unable to extract the injured woman from the area using a stretcher because of the seriousness of her injuries and the challenging nature of the location so a helicopter was required.
Wayne Green says visitors to the Gap shouldn't take unnecessary risks.
(
ABC News: Kyle Pauletto
)
On the same day crews were called to Shelley Beach to assist a paraglider who ran into trouble.
When they arrived they found members of the public had helped the man out of the water.
It follows two call outs for assistance at Bluff Knoll on the same day — one for sprained ankle and another for a hiker who was suffering shortness of breath in the early stages of the track.
There are nearly a dozen warning signs urging visitors to stay on the path at The Gap and Natural Bridge.
(
ABC Great Southern: John Dobson
)
Superintendent Green urged those heading out to ensure they understood their own capabilities, had the right resources, and thought of volunteers who are giving up their time to help.
"It's a lot of resource and effort from our SES for some minor injuries," he said.
"Once we commit our SES we're limited on numbers.
"The Bluff Knoll [deployment] might take them out of action for eight hours.
"If someone else has more demanding injuries, or [injuries of a] more serious nature requires their assistance, then they're not available."
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