Matilda Campbell, a young woman from Newcastle, NSW got trapped inside two massive rocks. While bushwalking with friends in the Hunter Valley, Matilda found herself trapped upside down between two rocks as she was attempting to grab her phone. Photos of the rescue mission spread like wildfire online, capturing Matilda’s legs dangling out of an S-shaped crevice. Matilda left a humorous remark as soon as she saw the pictures that went viral. Let’s have a closer look at the full story.
How It Happened
The incident took place during a casual bushwalk in the Hunter Valley. As Matilda and her friends were exploring, she accidentally dropped her phone into a narrow crevice between two boulders. In an attempt to retrieve it, she tried to reach down. However, things took an unexpected turn—she fell into the tight S-shaped hole, getting trapped upside-down.
Her friends immediately rushed to help, attempting to pull her out. But after an hour of trying, they realized they needed professional help and called emergency services. The rocky structure of the crevice and the narrowness of the hole made it nearly impossible to simply lift her out.
“The shape of the hole prevented Ms. Campbell from being simply lifted out,” explained one of the rescuers. This would be no ordinary rescue mission.
The Rescue Mission: A Seven-Hour Struggle
NSW paramedics, led by Peter Watts, arrived at the scene to help. Watts described the rescue as “out-of-the-box,” highlighting the unusual challenges they faced. To prevent the rocks from collapsing further, the team built a wooden frame around Matilda to keep the boulders stable. They also used a special winch to move a 500kg boulder that was blocking access to Matilda’s legs.
It wasn’t just the weight of the rocks that made things difficult. The narrow space required careful maneuvering. According to Watts, “Everyone had to bounce ideas off each other—we were all like, ‘How did she get down there and how are we going to get her out?’” He also noted that it was one of the toughest rescues he had seen in his 10 years as a paramedic.
Despite being stuck in such a tight and uncomfortable position for hours, Matilda remained calm and cooperative. “She was such a trooper,” Watts remarked. “I would have been beside myself stuck in that sort of situation, but when we were there she was calm, she was collected, and anything we asked her to do, she was able to do it to help us get her out.”
The rescue finally succeeded after seven hours of effort. The paramedics carefully pulled Matilda to safety. She emerged with only minor scratches and bruises—luckily, nothing serious. Unfortunately, she never managed to retrieve her phone, which didn’t survive the incident.
Campbell’s Reaction: Humor Amidst the Chaos
After the ordeal, Matilda responded to the whole incident with humor. She posted on Facebook, “Not my feet on display like that,” accompanied by a laughing emoji. She described herself as “the most accident-prone person ever” and shared that she was recovering well.
Matilda also expressed gratitude to her friends and the rescue team, acknowledging their efforts: “I wanted to give the biggest shoutout to my friends, the team who worked so hard to get me out,” she wrote. “I’m forever thankful as most likely I would not be here today.”
In another lighthearted comment, she addressed the fate of her phone, saying, “You guys are literally lifesavers…too bad about the phone though.” Despite the ordeal, she assured everyone that she was healing and added, “No more rock exploration for me for a while!”
Conclusion
Matilda’s rescue was a true team effort that involved patience, collaboration, and some creative thinking. The incident also serves as a reminder of how unpredictable natural exploration can be, with even small missteps leading to risky situations. It’s always important to be cautious, let others know your location, and consider carrying basic rescue tools while exploring natural landscapes.
