A dog had to be rescued from a mineshaft near Castlemaine by a specialist CFA team last Saturday morning.
The CFA’s Oscar 1 mine rescue unit was called in from Bendigo to retrieve the poodle cross from the mineshaft in Specimen Gully Road.
CFA Oscar 1 team leader Daniel McMahon said the dog had wandered down the hill and stumbled approximately 25 metres down into an abandoned mineshaft.
“The owner was quick to contact emergency services and when we got the call out we put a team together and headed down to assist,” Mr McMahon said.
The three Oscar 1 members were joined on site by two members from Castlemaine and Elphinstone and a couple of local CFA volunteers who had turned out to offer assistance.
“From the time we arrive on site the rescue takes around an hour. The dog was successfully rescued and fortunately was uninjured,” Mr McMahon said.
Local Castlemaine Fire Brigade and Oscar 1 team member Trent Dempster was sent down to retrieve the dog.
“The dog was pretty excited to be reunited with its owner,” Mr McMahon said.
“The owner took it to the vet for a check up afterwards and let us know that fortunately it was okay.
“It is a timely reminder to walkers and dog owners to be very wary when out enjoying the local bushland.”
