Grampians National Park lookout tragedy: Thousands jump barrier for Instagram snap

Thousands of people have risked their lives for an Instagram shot by climbing over a barrier at a lookout spot where a woman plunged almost 100 metres to her death. 

The 38-year-old woman from Craigieburn, in northern Melbourne, was visiting the Grampians National Park in Victoria when she fell from Boroka Lookout, near Halls Gap, about 3pm on Saturday.  

She had reportedly climbed over the railing to pose for a photo at the time of the incident and fell 80 metres in front of her family. 

The picturesque lookout, overlooking Halls Gap valley, has become increasingly popular photo spot, with more than 6000 Instagram posts tagged at the location.

One woman uploaded a photo posing at the dangerous lookout just three hours after the woman fell to her death. It’s unclear if the image was taken before the accident.

Police Minister Lisa Neville said the tragedy should serve as a reminder that taking ‘extreme photos’ could cost your life. 

A woman died when she fell from Boroka Lookout near Halls Gap (pictured) in the Grampians National Park on Saturday

‘That is dangerous behaviour, and yesterday should be a stark reminder that anyone who wants to do those extreme photos for social media, that it can kill you,’ she said on Sunday, The Age reports.

‘What we saw yesterday was a really tragic outcome of behaviour that unfortunately we see too often.

‘It not only puts you in harm’s way, but it actually risks our lifesavers, and our emergency services personnel who have to either try and rescue you or recover a body – and that’s what we’ve seen [on Saturday].’

State Emergency Service crews and Victoria Police conducted an operation to retrieve the woman’s body that Saturday evening as her loved ones consoled each other at the scene, the Herald Sun reports.   = 

A 59-year-old British tourist died while taking photos on the rock with her husband and other relatives in January 1999. 

Police Minister Lisa Neville said Saturday’s tragedy should serve as a reminder of the danger of taking extreme photos. Pictured: A woman poses for a photo at the tip of Boroka lookout in February

A man went viral in November 2018 after a video shared online (pictured) showed him completing a backflip on the lookout

Carlee Vokes, manager of Halls Gap restaurant Paper Scissors Rock Brew Co, said she has seen numerous accidents at the lookout in recent years.

‘I’ve worked here for 10 years and unfortunately these incidents (people falling) are quite regular,’ she said. 

Chilling photos posted online show thrill-seekers posing dangerously on the cliff face. 

In November 2018, a man went viral for a video showing him completing a backflip on the edge of the lookout.    

The nerve-racking clip garnered more than 127,000 views, with many commenting that he was ‘lucky to be alive’. 

Other photos show risk-takers breaching the barrier to dangle their legs over the rock, perform handstands, or stand right on the edge. 

Police will investigate the fall and a report will be prepared for the coroner. 

The picturesque Grampians National Park (pictured) is a popular destination for hikers