EMERGENCY crews responded to two separate incidents at popular yet hazardous cliff sites on the Mornington Peninsula over the past week.
A man in his 20s was winched to safety following a cliff fall at The Pillars in Mt Martha on 18 January about 5.15pm.
He was winched to safety in a cliff rescue and flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious but stable condition.
Paramedics provided advanced life support at the scene, assisted by mobile intensive care ambulance crews.
In a separate incident on 20 January around 9pm at Cape Schanck, paramedics attended to a man in his 20s who suffered mid-body injuries after reportedly trying to view the aurora from the cliffs.
He was taken to Frankston Hospital in a stable condition.
A Life Saving Victoria spokesperson warned of the dangers at the site, known as The Pillars, saying, “The Pillars is not a patrolled location and poses serious risks due to unstable cliffs, unpredictable water conditions, and limited emergency access”.
“Life Saving Victoria urges the public to prioritise safety over social media trends; what may look like fun online can have life-altering consequences. We encourage visitors to choose patrolled beaches, check conditions before entering the water, and avoid risky behaviours like cliff jumping.”
A Mornington Peninsula Shire spokesperson also highlighted the dangers of the area.
“The Pillars is Crown land owned by DEECA [Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action] and council has responsibility for routine maintenance only. There is no formal access to the site and there are signs warning the area is fragile, and that standing or sitting on the rocks is extremely risky,” a shire spokesperson said.
“There are no toilet facilities, walking tracks, or parking. There has already been at least one rescue operation here this year for a person with spinal injuries. It is a high-risk location, and we ask people to stay away.”
Emergency services continue to urge locals and visitors to exercise caution and avoid high-risk areas, particularly unpatrolled cliffs and coastal sites.
First published in the Mornington News – 27 January 2026
