A young rock climber who died after falling from a popular mountain in Victoria has been identified as Sydneysider Angela Ha, 24. She was on a 10-day hiking expedition with friends at Mount Arapiles last Monday when tragedy struck. Ms Ha was climbing the Organ Pipes section, famous for its rugged tubular crags, when she fell. She was winched to safety and airlifted to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne in a critical condition, but died ten hours later.
Passion for Climbing
Ms Ha has been described as an avid climber who had scaled mountains across Australia, Vietnam, and much of south-east Asia. The architecture graduate was about to start a Doctor of Physiotherapy degree at the University of Sydney so she could help injured rock climbers. Her father Daniel and sister Michelle rushed from Sydney to her hospital bedside but arrived less than an hour after Ms Ha passed away. They spent five more hours by her side, holding her hand and saying their goodbyes.
Family Tributes
Michelle told the Herald Sun: 'Deep down, I think she knew we were coming and wanted to stay, but couldn't hold on past her bedtime, which was always before 10pm. She would've been so, so tired from the big day. I will never forget my dad crying but smiling, saying he was grateful she got to pass away doing what she loved.' Ms Ha has been remembered as a vibrant spirit with a deep passion for adventure and the outdoors. Michelle told the ABC: 'I just want everyone to live their life, to live their daily life to the fullest. In doing so, it's very much honouring her.'
Her cousin Martin wrote: 'Always thinking about how she could do more, be more, give more. What I'll remember most is her heart. She was the oldest of four, and she took that role seriously. Always looking out for her younger siblings, always showing up. She was the kind of person who made you feel good just being around her.'
Outpouring of Tributes
Ms Ha's death has sparked an outpouring of tributes from family, friends, and climbers on a dedicated memorial page online. They include a fellow rock climber who met Ms Ha shortly before the tragedy. He recalled: 'Angela was joking about life in the inner-west, being 'poor' and the chaos in her life being 'Ange-coded', which made me chuckle. I wanted to say 'don't worry, you'll be fine', thinking she had her whole life ahead of her. She was happy, full of joy to be climbing in a place she obviously loved.'
Funeral and Investigation
Ms Ha's funeral will be held in Sydney this Friday. A fundraiser organised by her US-based aunt to bring Ms Ha's body home from Melbourne and help with memorial costs has raised more than $40,000. Her death will be investigated by the coroner. Mount Arapiles attracts 45,000 climbers each year and is renowned for its diverse and challenging routes.
