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interesting picture, wonder how the chairs are all just hanging from the same spot
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THE future of the Mornington Peninsula's Arthurs Seat chairlift remains unclear with the popular tourist attraction closed for at least a week.
WorkSafe inspectors yesterday put a non-disturbance notice on the site, which prevents the lift from running for at least a week, WorkSafe spokesman Michael Birt said.
Engineers will make an assessment over what caused the fault on Tuesday, when 11 people had to be rescued from the 950 metre-long chairlift after owner-operator Richard Hudson shut down the ride after noticing cables had started to slip.
"The control booth is right outside the end terminal so we can see everything," he said.
"The cable down there is usually pretty steady and only shakes when we load people, but on this occasion it was shaking. We said to ourselves, 'What is that?' "
Mr Hudson was able to help about six people off the lift with a cherry-picker but five were left stranded four to seven metres in the air for up to three hours.
Rescue crews eventually winched them to safety using ropes and harnesses.
"We're very disappointed about that, the media attention really isn't warranted," Mr Hudson said. "There was never any question that anybody was at risk in any way and the pre-planned evacuation went without a hitch." He predicted the lift would be closed for "some weeks".
It was the third incident at the chairlift in as many years.
In January 2003, 18 people received head, neck and spinal injuries and 50 others had to be rescued when a support pylon collapsed.
The lift was closed and extensively refitted, reopening a year later. After two months, a 77-year-old Preston woman broke her legs when the chair she was riding in slid forward and hit the chair in front.
Yesterday, Mr Hudson said he feared for the lift's, and his own, future. "We have to be concerned about that," he said. "We are very much at the mercy of the Government."
He told ABC radio it would cost about $3 million to replace the chairlift if investigators found that it was unsafe.
Local federal and state members of parliament said they would petition for financial and promotional support for the chairlift if WorkSafe gave it the green light.
Labor member Greg Hunt said if the lift closed it would have repercussions for surrounding businesses.
"When it wasn't operating it made it much harder for the businesses at the top in the Red Hill and Arthurs Seat area," he said. "They have their own life, but the chairlift adds to it."
WorkSafe inspectors yesterday put a non-disturbance notice on the site, which prevents the lift from running for at least a week, WorkSafe spokesman Michael Birt said.
Engineers will make an assessment over what caused the fault on Tuesday, when 11 people had to be rescued from the 950 metre-long chairlift after owner-operator Richard Hudson shut down the ride after noticing cables had started to slip.
"The control booth is right outside the end terminal so we can see everything," he said.
"The cable down there is usually pretty steady and only shakes when we load people, but on this occasion it was shaking. We said to ourselves, 'What is that?' "
Mr Hudson was able to help about six people off the lift with a cherry-picker but five were left stranded four to seven metres in the air for up to three hours.
Rescue crews eventually winched them to safety using ropes and harnesses.
"We're very disappointed about that, the media attention really isn't warranted," Mr Hudson said. "There was never any question that anybody was at risk in any way and the pre-planned evacuation went without a hitch." He predicted the lift would be closed for "some weeks".
It was the third incident at the chairlift in as many years.
In January 2003, 18 people received head, neck and spinal injuries and 50 others had to be rescued when a support pylon collapsed.
The lift was closed and extensively refitted, reopening a year later. After two months, a 77-year-old Preston woman broke her legs when the chair she was riding in slid forward and hit the chair in front.
Yesterday, Mr Hudson said he feared for the lift's, and his own, future. "We have to be concerned about that," he said. "We are very much at the mercy of the Government."
He told ABC radio it would cost about $3 million to replace the chairlift if investigators found that it was unsafe.
Local federal and state members of parliament said they would petition for financial and promotional support for the chairlift if WorkSafe gave it the green light.
Labor member Greg Hunt said if the lift closed it would have repercussions for surrounding businesses.
"When it wasn't operating it made it much harder for the businesses at the top in the Red Hill and Arthurs Seat area," he said. "They have their own life, but the chairlift adds to it."
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UP TO 10 people were rescued from the Arthurs Seat chairlift yesterday, just three years after one of the lift's support towers collapsed, injuring 18 people.
Country Fire Authority rescue crews were called to the 950-metre-long scenic chairlift after cables became loose and four chairs collided.
Sightseers were left dangling four to seven metres in the air for up to three hours when the last to be rescued, Ian Lark and his four-year-old daughter Sarah, were winched to safety.
"We were supposed to go on a holiday, but my wife has broken her leg so I thought I'd take Sarah out for a bit of a day trip," Mr Lark, 42, of Rosebud, said.
He said he had noticed some of the lift cables shaking just minutes before they came to a stop.
"I could see the cables weren't going properly through the rollers," he said.
Metropolitan Ambulance service spokesman Andrew Watson said there were no injuries and all those who were rescued yesterday remained calm, particularly four-year-old Sarah. "She was absolutely amazing," he said.
The chairlift was built in 1960 and operator Richard Hudson had run it without incident until January 3, 2003.
On that day, 18 people received head, neck and spinal injuries and 50 were rescued in a six-hour operation when the chairlift pylon crashed to the ground.
The lift closed for a year and underwent a $500,000 refurbishment to bring it up to approved safety standards.
Soon after it reopened, a 77-year-old Preston woman suffered broken legs when the chair she was riding in slid forward and slammed into the chair in front.
Yesterday lift operator Richard Hudson was able to rescue some of the stranded people before CFA crews arrived at the scene, adding to the confusion of exactly how many had been stuck in the air. He spent the rest of the afternoon inspecting the area with WorkSafe officers and was unavailable for comment.
WorkSafe spokesman Michael Birt said three inspectors were at Arthurs Seat.
"Our guys are at tower five, where it would appear that the cable has jumped off one of the rails and that's caused it to stop, stranding the people," he said.
Mr Birt said the operators of the chairlift contacted WorkSafe before 3pm to inform them of the problem, but he was unsure when the chairlift had malfunctioned.
Investigations were continuing.
ARTHURS SEAT CHAIRLIFT
1960 Czech engineer Dr Vladimir Hajek designs and builds the chairlift
1979 Richard Hudson takes control without accident until 2003
January 3, 2003 A pylon collapses: 18 people are injured, four seriously; 50 are trapped for six hours. Lift closes
January 6, 2004 Chairlift reopens after $500,000 renovation
March 18, 2004 A 77-year-old woman breaks her legs after her chair slides and hits the chair in front
May 16, 2006 Mechanical failure causes lift to stop for three hours; up to 10 people rescued
Country Fire Authority rescue crews were called to the 950-metre-long scenic chairlift after cables became loose and four chairs collided.
Sightseers were left dangling four to seven metres in the air for up to three hours when the last to be rescued, Ian Lark and his four-year-old daughter Sarah, were winched to safety.
"We were supposed to go on a holiday, but my wife has broken her leg so I thought I'd take Sarah out for a bit of a day trip," Mr Lark, 42, of Rosebud, said.
He said he had noticed some of the lift cables shaking just minutes before they came to a stop.
"I could see the cables weren't going properly through the rollers," he said.
Metropolitan Ambulance service spokesman Andrew Watson said there were no injuries and all those who were rescued yesterday remained calm, particularly four-year-old Sarah. "She was absolutely amazing," he said.
The chairlift was built in 1960 and operator Richard Hudson had run it without incident until January 3, 2003.
On that day, 18 people received head, neck and spinal injuries and 50 were rescued in a six-hour operation when the chairlift pylon crashed to the ground.
The lift closed for a year and underwent a $500,000 refurbishment to bring it up to approved safety standards.
Soon after it reopened, a 77-year-old Preston woman suffered broken legs when the chair she was riding in slid forward and slammed into the chair in front.
Yesterday lift operator Richard Hudson was able to rescue some of the stranded people before CFA crews arrived at the scene, adding to the confusion of exactly how many had been stuck in the air. He spent the rest of the afternoon inspecting the area with WorkSafe officers and was unavailable for comment.
WorkSafe spokesman Michael Birt said three inspectors were at Arthurs Seat.
"Our guys are at tower five, where it would appear that the cable has jumped off one of the rails and that's caused it to stop, stranding the people," he said.
Mr Birt said the operators of the chairlift contacted WorkSafe before 3pm to inform them of the problem, but he was unsure when the chairlift had malfunctioned.
Investigations were continuing.
ARTHURS SEAT CHAIRLIFT
1960 Czech engineer Dr Vladimir Hajek designs and builds the chairlift
1979 Richard Hudson takes control without accident until 2003
January 3, 2003 A pylon collapses: 18 people are injured, four seriously; 50 are trapped for six hours. Lift closes
January 6, 2004 Chairlift reopens after $500,000 renovation
March 18, 2004 A 77-year-old woman breaks her legs after her chair slides and hits the chair in front
May 16, 2006 Mechanical failure causes lift to stop for three hours; up to 10 people rescued
