A 41-year-old woman is in hospital with serious injuries after falling from the top of a waterfall in Whakatane.

Police received a call about 12pm yesterday by a concerned member of the public who had seen the woman in a precarious position on a cliff at the Wairaka falls on the Waiwere stream in Whakatane.

A woman fell 15m from the top of Wairaka falls on the Waiwere stream [pictured above] in Whakatane.

'The woman was acting in an irrational manner and her behaviour gave serious concerns for her safety,” says a statement from police.

'As police and rescue volunteers attempted to reach the woman, she fell about 15 metres into a pool halfway down the falls.”

Rescuers had to abseil down the cliff to reach the woman, and her behaviour made it difficult to retrieve her safely.

'She was finally lowered in a rescue basket to the foot of the falls and treated by paramedics at about 3pm.

'The woman, who is known to police and has mental health issues, was taken to hospital by ambulance.”