A leg of a 50-year-old woman became caught in the rope while she was in the tower ringing the bell at St John's Anglican Cathedral in Brisbane city.
She was pulled off her feet and injured her pelvis.
The woman was treated at the scene by Queensland Ambulance Service officers before being taken to hospital.
Queensland Fire and Rescue Service senior operations coordinator Owen George said officers needed to use a device similar to a cherry picker to remove the woman from the bell tower.
"The steps are only about two feet wide and you spiral your way down a bell tower to get out," he said.
"It was just impossible to bring her out any other way than the way we did."
He said the woman remained in good spirits despite her ordeal.
"She was very good and remained calm."