Queensland paramedic killed in abseiling tragedy in New Zealand

Verena Jantje Kuhl died in New Zealand at the weekend. Photo / Facebook

A paramedic from Queensland died in front of her partner when she fell 100m to her death while abseiling down a cliff in New Zealand.

Verena Jantje Kuhl, known as Jantje, was killed at the weekend while she and her partner were canyoning at Twin Creek Falls, near Arthurs Pass on the west coast of the South Island, news.com.au reports.

After she plunged down the cliff her partner abseiled down and found her about halfway down the falls. He activated his personal locator beacon, and a rescue helicopter rushed to the scene, but when paramedics reached Kuhl they discovered she was already dead.

"The man roped his way down to the bottom to where his partner was," pilot Angus Taylor told the local Greymouth Star newspaper.

A view of the Twin Creek Falls near Temple Basin, where the tragedy occurred at the weekend. Photo / NZCC West Coast Rescue Helicopter

Her body was recovered by being winched from the scene.

Kuehl started work as an advanced care paramedic and flight paramedic in Bundaberg in 2014 with the Wide Bay Local Ambulance Service Network.

It's understood Arthurs Pass was the last stop on the couple's New Zealand holiday where they had been climbing and canyoning.

The couple were experienced climbers. New Zealand police said an investigation into the cause of the fall was underway.

Social media accounts show a fun-loving and adventurous Kuhl led an active life abseiling, surfing and paddle boarding as well as spending time with Australian wildlife.