The woman, who is believed to be a nurse, had been cherry picking in Young and was on a day trip with friends when the accident happened at Koorawatha Falls midway between Cowra and Young.

Police from Young and Cowra SES crew were called in to assist ambulance evacuate the patient just after 7pm on Wednesday following a report a swimmer had suffered serious back injuries after jumping from the falls.

Much of the terrain at Koorawatha Falls in inaccessible by vehicle at this time of the year and the SES was required to carry the patient from the falls to a Four Wheel drive ambulance which had to travel from Blayney for the retrieval.

Sgt Paul Martyn of Young Police said the patient was then stabilised before being transported a short distance for transfer to another ambulance for a road trip to Orange Base Hospital at 10pm.

She was then transferred by air to Westmead Hospital in Sydney.

A helicopter retrieval from Koorawatha was not available due to another emergency in the Blue Mountains.

Sgt Martyn said police believe the woman jumped from a rock ledge about four metres up the falls.

“It happens every year,” Sgt Martyn said regarding people injuring themselves at the falls.

“There is no safe way to jump off the rocks, it’s just like rolling the dice with your safety, there is no science to it,” Sgt Martyn said.