Blue Mountains TAFE abseiling student in Katoomba cliff fall identified as Oliver Carrick

Oliver 'Oli' Carrick, 20, from Queensland, died on the cliff where he was taking part in an abseiling training assessment with Blue Mountains TAFE on October 7.

This year in March, Mr Carrick and his then partner, made a plea for help from the Blue Mountains community through social media to find cheap accommodation in exchange for farm/gardening work while he studied.

"We are a young couple who will be moving to the Blue Mountains this year once we find a place to call home," he posted.

"We are ready for the leap of faith to be in a new environment with new lines of study and work, creating new friendships and experiences with all that the Blue Mountains has to offer."

At the time he was preparing to start the Outdoor Leadership at Wentworth Falls TAFE course in July and had planned to complete Certificates III and IV over 12 months.

It appears he was well on his way to finding that sought after new community - securing a dream job at an indoor rock climbing venue just days before he died.

Patrick Lewis, co-owner of Lost Lane and Leura Indoor Rock Climbing, said: "Oli was welcomed in to Lostlane as a regular skater. He mentioned he'd love to work here and that he was continuing studies at TAFE in the outdoor rec field.

"He came in for a few climbs and said he'd fallen in love with the space ... I and a few other employees here found Oli to be such a great energy. Highly positive and was clearly going to bring a lot to the centre."

Mr Lewis said he "promised Oli a job and we got him in for his first shift just days before the tragic accident".

"Oli slotted straight in here. He was perfect for the role as an all rounder from skate to coffees, and of course, climbing. I told Oli during his shift here that I wished I was half as switched on at 20 as he was."

Mr Lewis said his worker was "highly likeable ... he's a huge loss and I can't imagine how his family and close friends must feel".

In his home state of Queensland, friends have also paid tribute to the 20-year-old.

Bodyboarding Queensland posted on Facebook he was a "fantastic young guy full of life and adventure... Fly high... you will be greatly missed".

One person commented on the post: "One of the finest and most polite young men I have ever come across."

Another added: "Ollie was so small in stature - yet massive with energy & spirit... Your presence on this planet is genuinely going to be missed mate."

Emergency services were called to Katoomba cliffs about 8am on Friday, October 7 after being told a young man abseiling in a group had fallen 65 metres from Malaita Wall in Katoomba. TAFE guides assisted the student before NSW Ambulance paramedics arrived, but he died at the scene. Officers from the Police Bomb and Rescue Squad retrieved the student's body about 11am.

A popular abseiling spot in the Jamison Valley, Malaita Wall, is about 200m of vertical cliff, with the first and longest abseil 45m.

The tight-knit outdoor adventure industry has been left reeling by the incident.

CEO of Outdoors NSW/ACT Lori Modde told the Gazette they were now "focusing our full efforts on support for the industry and those colleagues directly affected as the whole industry is grieving from this event". She extended "thoughts and prayers to the family, friends and colleagues".

TAFE staff and students held a memorial on Friday, October 14 for Mr Carrick, laying floral tributes where he fell and at a nearby viewing point.

After the incident, the Grange, the Outdoor Recreation department of Barker College at Mt Victoria, rallied behind the traumatised students who witnessed the accident, offering them free accommodation on site to be together for several days.

Co-director of Outdoor Education at Barker College, Liz Charlton, said: "It was important for me to open my doors and to open my heart for the TAFE students involved".

"We are all family and these young folks are the next generation of staff that I employ.

"The outdoor industry is close, we are all connected and I care that these guys had a place to be together to grieve and process in a place that they belong and with people who understand."

The outdoor leadership course at Blue Mountains TAFE is one of the key training pipelines for the NSW outdoor recreation industry. TAFE was contacted for comment about the incident and directed the Gazette to police.

SafeWork NSW and detectives are investigating and a report is being prepared for the Coroner.