Man injured in horse fall while mustering cattle

An RACQ CQ Rescue Bell 412 helicopter landed in a grassy paddock near the Bruce Highway, Queensland, Australia, to airlift a man knocked unconscious when he fell from a horse on 19 April. The 20-year-old man was mustering cattle on a property near St Lawrence, about 160 km (100 miles) south of Mackay, when he fell from the horse and on to his right side. RACQ CQ Rescue said the man was believed to have lost consciousness for about 30 seconds.

The rescue helicopter departed from its base at Mackay Airport at 10:40 hrs and was diverted en route to land in a clearing close to a dirt road beside the Bruce Highway, about 10 km (six miles) from St Lawrence, to meet ambulance officers. The helicopter had originally been tasked to meet the ambulance and retrieve the patient from a helipad at Clairview.

The patient was transported in a stable condition to Mackay Base Hospital, arriving at 12:30 hrs to undergo further tests and observation for his head injury.

The rescue helicopter returned to base at 13:00 hrs.