North Head cliff fall victim Gareth Jones was an avid BASE jumper

  • 7 days ago December 09, 2014 7:07AM


Base jump tragedy




Remembered for his “big heart and cheeky smile” Englishman Gareth Jones, 25, had made some of the most death defying leaps from Asia to the Swiss Alps.

But a seemingly innocent trip to one of Sydney Harbour’s best vantage points to watch the sun rise on Sunday cost him his life after he fell 90 metres from North Head.
Two of four friends who were with him scrambled down ladders used by fisherman but there was nothing they could do to revive him.
Mr Jones was in Australia on a student visa had had regularly travelled in and out of the country over the past year.





UK BASE jumper Gareth Jones plunged about 90 metres onto rocks at North Head. Picture: Facebook Source: Facebook


Only a few weeks ago he had been paragliding with friends and had spent time on the Central Coast and in Western Sydney during his trip.
He had been staying at several Manly hostels and it is understood he had moved into a share house in recent weeks.
Mr Jones, who was from West Sussex in southern England, had climbed over a safety fence to get better view when he fell to his death.
Staff at one of the Manly hostels he had stayed in last month yesterday said he was “really quiet”.
“He kept to himself, he did not go into the common areas much and stayed in his room,” a hostel manager said. But as a BASE jumper nothing seemed to faze him.
The experienced BASE jumper had participated in the Kuala Lumpar International, leaping from Menara Tower, in September.





Police work to retrieve the body of Jones from the base of the cliff at North Head. Picture: Nine News Source: Channel 9





Police Rescue retrieve his body. Picture: Nine News Source: Channel 9

“Survived KL with an amazing crew of people! What an epic adventure that was,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
He had also starred in a short film in 2011, when he and another BASE jumper Jamie Flynn took off from the famous BASE jumping take-off, the Mushroom, on the 4000 foot Eiger mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland.
Mr Flynn paid tribute to Mr Jones on Facebook: “Life is too short to fall out with people and its a hard lesson to learn.
“We had fallen out a few years ago over not much at all; but there was a time we used to be good friends and i will only remember those times dude.
“Fly Free.”
The film’s maker Blake Byles told the Daily Telegraph while being a bit of a “lad” Mr Jones was a nice guy.





Jones, pictured here in Kuala Lumpur, climbed a safety fence to get a better view but slipped, police say. Picture: Facebook Source: Facebook

“He was genuinely sweet and funny guy, with a big heart and cheeky smile,” he said.
“I’ll never forget his laugh and and time we spent on that amazing Swiss tour. He pushed himself to the limit on that trip and the pay-off was something I will never forget.
“He was a BASE jumper, whose life basically revolves around perching on the edge of cliffs, putting himself in precarious situations and being particularly skilled at it.”
Mr Byles also posted a tribute on his Bouken Boy Media Facebook page.
“Sad to announce that Gareth, who featured in my first BASE video, passed away yesterday. A sport like that draws vibrant personalities, and he was an immensely fun and cheerful dude. I loved our trip to Switzerland, watching him do his first gainer, enjoying many laughs and beers, and will remember it fondly. RIP cuz, Blue Skies,” he wrote.
Another friend and BASE jumper posted a tribute photo of the two leaping off a mountain range together.
“Living for it with this legend. Save me a spot brother,” he said.
Other friends said he “was full of energy and stoke” and had “lived his life the best way possible”.
“A really good one,” one close friend simply posted.
Police said he had not been BASE jumping at the time of his death and appears to have slipped and fell after climbing the fence at the cliff’s edge.
Inspector Belinda Caddy said police were treating Mr Jones’ death as a tragic accident and that neither drugs nor alcohol were involved.





Police say Jones was not BASE jumping at the time. Picture: Facebook Source: Facebook