Brit model Madalyn Davis was posing for a photo on a cliff-top after a party when she fell 98ft to her death, a friend has told reporters.
The 21-year-old from Lincoln died in the early hours of Sunday after plunging from Diamond Bay cliffs in Sydney.
Lydia Woodward, who is a close family friend, said 'Maddy' had been at a party with friends in Vaucluse when they decided to go to cliff top to take pictures as the sun rose at 6.30am.
She said Madalyn was sitting on the cliff edge to have a photo taken when she fell, describing it as "such a tragedy".
The group of friends are thought to have climbed over a fence to sit on the edge of the cliff to watch the sunrise before she plunged to her death.
The Diamond Bay cliffs are a popular selfie spot with tourists and this is not the first time someone has died there.
The local Waverley Council said in 2019 that it would look to crack down on people putting their lives at risk at the spot - all for the perfect shot.
"Maddy was having the time of her life. She wanted to see everything and do everything and was having a good time," Mrs Woodward told MailOnline .
"She was the life and soul of the party. And she was doing her best to have a good time."
Mrs Woodward, a close friend of Rebecca 'Becky' Smith - Madalyn's mum - added: "They are beside themselves. One moment they are laughing when they remember funny things about Maddy, the next moment they are in floods of tears. They are all over the place.
"They are still talking about who will go to Australia to identify the body. It's very early stages. It has only been 24 hours since she died."
On Instagram , multiple photos can be found tagged #diamondbay.
In August last year, a 27-year-old woman fell to her death while posing for photos on the cliff face.
Mayor Paula Masselos said said the council would look again at how to keep people away.
He said: "I've already asked the general manager and we're having a meeting tomorrow to discuss it. It depends in part on what the police investigation reveals.
Mr Masselos told Australia's Daily Telegraph that security was increased around cliff top following the 27-year-old's death in August.
He said: "Extra patrols, more signs, the fencing we increased as well … when the rangers tell people not to go over boundary fences they don't listen, they go further down and go over boundary fences further down."
Emergency services were called to Diamond Bay Reserve after reports a woman had fallen from a cliff and an air and water search was launched.
Madalyn's family desperately tried to track her down after failing to hear from her all day on Sunday.
One concerned family member wrote online: "Anyone seen Maddie? Not been able to get hold of her please get in touch if you were out with her last night".
But by this morning, Madalyn's death was confirmed by another family member.
Heartbroken family and friends paid tribute to the young model, remembering her as a "free spirit" who was "beautiful inside and out".
One person wrote: "I really don't know how to process this Maddie, last time we saw each other was three years ago and now you are gone."
Another wrote: "I will never ever forget the times we shared together the giggle fits we had in town. I will forever miss you, angel."
A third added: "It was a pleasure knowing you Maddie, you were beautiful inside as well as outside."
Last month, Madalyn had told friends she was having the 'best time' travelling and had no plans to return to Britain.
Writing next to a photo of her at the Full Moon Party in Thailand in November, she said: "Can't believe I've been travelling for a whole month now!
"Not looked back at my old life once (miss my job though) and I am super excited for my future abroad."
