Please join us on Thursday 12 November 2026 for an evening with Dr Jo Kippax as he recounts the incredible Franklin River rescue of Valdas Bieliauskas.

In November 2024, an expert Lithuanian rafter became entrapped in swiftly moving water in one of the wildest and most remote rivers of the world. The rescue effort quickly escalated in scale and complexity to become one of the most complicated and challenging in Tasmania’s history. Hundreds of people and many agencies worked together to get Valdas Bieliauskas out alive before the river levels rose or hypothermia claimed his life. Over 20 hours later the only remaining option involved an underwater amputation and a race against the clock to extract a critically unwell man in cardiac arrest from one of the remotest corners of the planet. A story about Valdas, the rescue, the people, the teamwork and what could possibly go wrong in this scenario. Join us to hear Dr Jo Kippax recount this incredible rescue.

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