By Gary Corbett

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THE south-east Queensland mountain climbing community is in mourning after the tragic death of well-known Brisbane-based climber Ross Miller on Mt Lindesay on Saturday.

One of the most experienced climbers when it came to Scenic Rim mountains, Mr Miller slipped and fell 50 metres to his death while leading a group of five other climbers that included his wife, Annette, up the south face of Mt Lindesay.

At the time he fell to his death, Mr Miller was carrying all of the group’s ropes, with the result being that four of the remaining five climbers had to be rescued in a combined effort involving the CareFlight helicopter, local mountain guide Innes Larkin, police, Queensland Fire and Rescue and the SES.

After the fall, Mr Miller’s good friend, Mark Naumann, free climbed down the almost vertical slope to his body before walking out of the national park to raise the alarm.

Senior Constable Andrew Zaal, the officer in charge of the rescue, described the death as a freak accident.

He said Mr Miller had climbed Mt Lindesay via the south face on many occasions, had trained local National Parks and Wildlife staff on the best way to climb the mountain, had been a climbing instructor for 20 years and had extensive mountain climbing experience overseas and elsewhere in Australia.

In the wake of the rescue of the four climbers left stranded on the ledge, Mr Larkin, the owner of nearby Mt Barney Lodge, has been hailed a hero.

With the CareFlight rescue chopper unable to get close enough to the mountain, Mr Innes was flown to the top of Mt Lindesay and winched down before descending with the aid of his own ropes to the stranded group.

Mr Larkin then coordinated the descent of the four remaining climbers off the ledge and down the mountain face - to where Mr Miller’s body still remained - before finally walking with the group out of the national park in the dark about 8.30pm.

While Mr Larkin was guiding the group of climbers out of the park, police, the Queensland Fire and Rescue vertical rescue team, Queensland Ambulance Service officers and SES volunteers were attempting to walk up to where Mr Miller’s body was located.

However, thick lantana and scrub in combination with the steep terrain and fading light resulted in the decision being made that it was too dangerous to retrieve the body until the following morning.

Finally with Mr Naumann, who made the descent without ropes from the ledge the previous day, leading the way for rescue personnel, Mr Miller’s body was retrieved on Sunday morning.

The rescued climbers told police that prior to the accident Mr Miller had free climbed up the cliff to the ledge before guiding them up to him on the sloping and slippery ledge.

“As the five climbers passed him on the ledge he then rolled the rope up and put it under his arm and over his head,” Snr Const Zaal said.

“He then turned around to pass the group on the ledge but slipped and slid on his behind and went straight off the cliff.

“Because he had all the ropes the rest of the group was trapped on the ledge.

“Mr Naumann, the second most experienced climber in the group, then made the brave decision to free climb back down the cliff face and locate the deceased.”

During Mr Naumann’s descent, the group on the ledge was in constant contact with police via mobile phone, with the CareFlight helicopter immediately deployed in conjunction with a full scale rescue mission.

Rathdowney Police have submitted a preliminary report to the coroner.