The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Waimana, south of Whakatane, to retrieve a man in his 60's who fell, fracturing his right femur.

The man was injured at around 5pm on Monday and lay in a drainage culvert until he was discovered early Tuesday morning.

He was stablised at the scene by paramedics before being flown to Waikato Hospital for treatment.