Tourists warned to stay away from ‘dangerous’ Sydney selfie spot popularised by Instagram influencers

‘It’s easy to take one step too far,’ says rescue service

Diamond Bay is attracting huge numbers of tourists (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Tourists have been warned they are risking their lives taking dangerous pictures and selfies next to a sheer cliff edge in Australia.

Popularised by Instagram influencers, Diamond Bay Reserve in Vaucluse near Sydney has started attracting busloads of visitors keen to capture the perfect snap of themselves on the dramatic cliffs.

But local residents and rescue services are concerned at the danger that tourists are putting themselves in to get the money shot.

“Don’t jump over the fences, don’t ignore the signage,” Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopters’ Stephen Leahy advised when speaking to Nine News.

“It’s really easy just to take that one step too far for the perfect picture and then you’re in dire straits.”

Westpac tweeted of Diamond Bay: “It’s easy to take one step too far...”

Search for Diamond Bay Reserve on Instagram and there are hundreds of posts showing visitors standing close to the edge of the rock face – awareness of the beauty spot was given an online boost last year when Kyle Huber (@asenseofhuber), who has more than 400,000 followers, posted a picture of himself there that garnered nearly 9,000 likes.

It makes for a photogenic setting, with the remains of old steps cut into the cliff winding their way down to the turquoise sea below.

There are also plenty of shots of people sitting, lying and even doing some impressive gymnastics on top of a stone arch.

However, local residents say these poses are putting lives at risk.

“A wind or a stumble and that’s the end of them because it’s sheer cliff down,” said local resident Rona Kahn.

“It’s a bit too dangerous,” added resident Greg Ingall. “They step over the fences.”

It’s not the first time tourists have been warned to take care when taking pictures.

Too many dangerous selfies forced the closure of the outdoor carriage on New Zealand’s iconic Coastal Pacific train earlier this month.

The 350km route between Picton and Christchurch takes in some of the South Island’s most beautiful scenery, which tourists frequently tried and capture from the train’s viewing carriage.

However, travellers were putting their lives at risk by leaning out of the carriage to take selfies, photos and videos of the landscape.

“Despite the number of signs and announcements on board our trains pointing out the dangers of this, we have seen passengers leaning out with selfie sticks, iPads and their bodies, often unaware of an approaching tunnel which could cause a tragic incident for themselves, and others in the carriage,” said Katie McMahon, general manager of KiwiRail group, which operates the service.

“We simply have to stop adults and children leaning from the carriages or we would not be discharging our duty as a safe transport operator.”