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NEWS Lost and Found
Victorian Government minister Tim Holding has been found alive on Mount Feathertop in Victoria's north-east, police say. Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Kieran Walsh told reporters at the town of Bright that Mr Holding, who was last seen on the mountain on Sunday morning, had been found alive. "We have located Mr Holding,'' Mr Walshe said. "The good news is that he has been located safe and well. "He is moving around, yes.'' He said his family had been told. It is believed a Channel Seven news crew aboard a helicopter located Mr Holding walking on the mountain. Police say he is "OK at this point in time". They will now move to get a ground crew to him as soon as possible. Heavy fog Earlier police were hoping clearing cloud would allow them to use helicopters with infra-red equipment in the search for Mr Holding, whom they were confident of finding alive. Rescuers this morning resumed their search for the Water Minister, who had been missing on Mount Feathertop since Sunday morning. Heavy fog at sunrise again prevented a search from the air. Police Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe said searchers were hoping conditions would clear enough to allow a helicopter to take off, and hopes were still strong of finding Mr Holding safe. "We're hopeful the weather's going to be a little bit more favourable to us this morning. We expect this fog will burn away and hopefully the cloud cover will move and we'll get a bit of clear sky," Mr Walshe said. He told ABC Radio the helicopter would be equipped with infra-red equipment thatcould detect a person's body heat and it was hoped the noise of the aircraft would alert Mr Holding to the searchers. "We are hopeful that he is just disoriented in the rain and unable to find his way out and in that case he may well have dug in to protect himself," Mr Walshe said. He said medical help would be on stand-by in case Mr Holding was injured or unwell after his ordeal. Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Dean Stewart said sunshine was beginning to break through the cloud in the area that yesterday prevented searchers from using helicopters. "There are breaks in the cloud this morning, there are still some clouds hanging around the tops of the mountains, but yesterday there was solid cloud the whole day and at least there appear to be some breaks today," he said. The temperature gradually fell overnight from about minus one at 6pm to a low of minus five at 7am. Mr Stewart said snow had fallen up until 9pm but there had been no rain or snow showers overnight or this morning. He said both the cloud and and winds were expected to ease throughout the day. Mr Walshe said Mr Holding's parents and partner shared the police's confidence that the 37-year-old former Army Reserve commando's training, youth and equipment would help him endure the freezing weather conditions. "We're still very hopeful that we'll find Mr Holding and that we'll find him safe and well," he said. "We think that because of his experience, because of the equipment he had with him and the clothing that he would be able to survive the two nights that he's been out there." About 80 highly trained alpine searchers camped on the mountain last night. Working in small teams, the searchers today planned to walk towards the 1922-metre summit of Mount Feathertop from four directions, with one team leaving the trail to delve into rough and icy country. The two main concerns for Mr Holding - a fit, experienced hiker who has walked the Kokoda Track and run marathons - are the extreme weather and the possibility that he is injured. Doctors and paramedics were on their way to the area late yesterday in case medical help was needed. Mr Holding's family released a statement expressing "extreme confidence" that he would emerge unscathed. "Tim is the strongest person we know, emotionally and physically," the statement said. "We are grateful to everyone who is involved in the search in these difficult conditions." Earlier, Premier John Brumby revealed that Mr Holding's father had received a weak telephone signal from his son at 10.30pm on Sunday. "The area concerned, as you know, has got poor reception and conditions were very bad," Mr Brumby said. As yesterday passed without any word on Mr Holding, the Premier's initial optimism that his 37-year-old Water and Tourism Minister would "walk out" turned to increasing concern and anxiety. "In Tim's favour, he's a very fit young man," Mr Brumby said. "He runs marathons, he does a lot of walking, he knows the area well. But nevertheless he's been missing now for some time." At 1922 metres above sea level, Mount Feathertop is Victoria's second highest peak - and one of the most alluring and dangerous for adventurers, particularly in winter. Mr Holding was last seen hiking alone about 8.30am on Sunday by a group who saw him slipping on the icy terrain. They offered him help but he declined, saying he would go back along the Bungalow Spur track towards Harrietville, a small town at the foot of Mount Feathertop. Earlier that morning, he had set out from Federation Hut, several hundred metres below the summit, and told other walkers he would return if the conditions were bad. "He said, 'I'm just going to see what the snow's like. If it's too bad I'll come straight back,' " bushwalker Ray Kennedy told The Age. Mr Holding had arrived at the hut about 5pm on Saturday, introduced himself only as Tim and impressed Mr Kennedy's party when he told them he had walked up from Harrietville in just three hours. Mr Holding initially planned to sleep in his new tent outside the hut, but he was unable to get the pegs to stay in the ground, Mr Kennedy said. Instead he spent the night inside. Police say Mr Holding was well-equipped, although he was not carrying an emergency beacon. He was wearing dark blue water-resistant Gore-Tex clothing and had a pack with a sleeping bag, as well as his tent. But Mr Kennedy said Mr Holding was not carrying snow shoes or an ice pick, and he believed he did not make it to the peak, as there were no footprints in the snow when his group walked there. Mr Holding sent a text message to his partner, Sunday Herald Sun reporter Ellen Whinnett, on Saturday before trying to contact his father on Sunday night. "Mr Holding has a mobile phone. We've been trying everything possible for a phone triangulation; nothing's working at the moment," said Victoria Police search and rescue Sergeant Vic Velthuis. Police acting Superintendent Wayne Rotherham said the rescue party contained some of the best searchers in the state. Among them are five steep snow and ice specialists. Chief Commissioner Simon Overland said he was optimistic. "We never want to see people in this situation, but if anyone is to be in a situation like this, it's Tim Holding," he said. Mr Overland said it was preferable for people to attempt the climb in groups and to have a satellite emergency distress system. Mr Holding's car was found at the entrance of the Bungalow Spur track. The steep track, even at the beginning, is wet, rocky and slippery. His cabinet colleague Lynne Kosky arrived in the town of Bright yesterday to lend support to Mr Holding's parents and Ms Whinnett, who were also staying in Bright. Kate Lahey, Mex Cooper, Jason Dowling, David Rood, Andra Jackson and AAP
Police have begun a search for Victorian Government minister Tim Holding who is missing on Mount Feathertop in the state's north-east. A bushwalker, who was the last person to see Mr Holding, said he saw the minister's footprints going off in a different direction. He said Mr Holding was well-equipped but did not have snow shoes. Missing ... Victorian Minister for Water, Tim Holding. Photo: Angela Milne Victorian Premier John Brumby said he was concerned that 37-year-old minister's mobile phone was "inactive". This could mean it was low on power or out of range. Mr Brumby said Mr Holding, who holds portfolios in water, tourism, and finance, was an experienced hiker and was well-equipped for the conditions on the mountain. Mr Holding sent a text message to his partner on Saturday at 6.30pm to say he had arrived at Federation Hut on the mountain and that he expected to arrive home at 4pm yesterday. However, the alarm was raised at 9.30pm yesterday after he failed to return and resort management confirmed his car remained at the base of the mountain. Visbility on Mount Feathertop is down to 40-50 metres this morning. Police have been unable to send a helicopter into the area due to the lack of visibility. Acting Superintendent Rotherham said Mr Holding was well-equipped but not carrying an emergency beacon. "It’s very icy up there ... and we’ve got a large area to cover and you have to understand that we can only send expert searchers up there," acting Superintendent Rotherham said. "All the ones we've sent in are equipped to spend a couple of days in the snow." A Victoria Police spokeswoman said searchers were working in low cloud and snow as deep as 1100 metres. Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Michael Halfpenny said it was minus two degrees at Mount Hotham with a north-westerly wind of between 20 and 25km/h. "There are a few snow showers in the area and quite a lot of cloud with poor visibility," he said. Mr Halfpenny said visibility would mean it would be difficult to see and visibility was reportedly under 50 metres. He said the weather conditions were expected to remain bad throughout the day and the temperature would probably not rise above zero. State Emergency Service state duty officer Jeff Cartwright said an extra 12 specially trained alpine SES searchers would help police look for Mr Holding today. He said "white-outs" were possible in low cloud and snow, which made it difficult to tell where the ground ended and horizon began. The bushwalker said Mr Holding appeared to be very fit. "He was going to do a walk from Federation Hut to Feathertop on the Sunday morning and left at about 7.30am," the bushwalker said. "He was well-equipped but didn’t have snow shoes. Visibility was very poor." Weather forecaster Peter Newnham said temperatures on the mountain plunged to minus seven on Saturday night and early yesterday. He said snow showers and winds were expected to increase during the day. A civilian bushwalking group is expected to arrive at the mountain about lunchtime to join in the search. Mount Feathertop is one of the highest mountains in Australia, at 1922 metres above sea level. It is popular for bushwalking, skiing and snowboarding. The Age reporters and AAP
Two men missing in the NSW Blue Mountains have emerged safe and well from a fire trail just as emergency services were about to launch a large-scale search today. The men, aged 64 and 42, set out on a day trek along the Du Faurs Creek fire trail through Clatterteeth Canyon near Mt Wilson, about 10.30am (AEDT) on Tuesday. They were due back at 6pm on Tuesday, and were reported missing by a family member about 9am on Wednesday. Ground and air searches, including help from specially trained police, were postponed late on Wednesday afternoon due to bad light. Emergency services were preparing for an extensive search at about 7am (AEDT) on Thursday morning, when they saw the men emerge from a fire trail off the Wollangambe walking track, police said. Sergeant Chris Sammut told ABC Radio: "They did go into the canyon just expecting to have a day trip. "It turned out they missed an exit point. The senior member of the group had done that canyon numerous times. "`It just shows that you can make mistakes, so they overshot the exit point and walked some six kilometres in the canyon. "They backtracked and then found an exit point.'' Sgt Sammut reminded walkers to be prepared when they enter bushland, after a number of recent rescues in the areas. "If you have a planned route, stick to the route. "Take provision to stay the night, even if you think you're going on a day trek. "Things can happen, weather can close in. Be prepared, take plenty of food and water, plenty of clothing.'' The safety warning comes after police and the State Emergency Service conducted a ground and air search on Wednesday for a 43-year-old man who wandered away from a bushwalking group and became lost near Cascade Falls at Leura in the Blue Mountains. The man was found and reunited with his companions. Police were also called to Wentworth Falls, near Leura, about 8.30pm (AEDT) on Wednesday by two German tourists who had lost their bearings. The women, aged 20 and 22, who were not prepared for overnight conditions, were located at about 11pm at Lindemans Pass. Sgt Sammut said bushwalkers can register their trek at Katoomba police station, or with National Parks and Wildlife complex in Blackheath. Authorities can give trekkers a personal location device, he said. "You can activate it, and that will allow us to pinpoint ... exactly where you are.''
Two teenagers who were missing in rugged bush in Victoria's south-west after trying to sneak into a music festival without tickets say they are "idiots". The pair, Harry Wild and Ryan Hurley, both 19, who were reunited with their parents on Thursday, said they had been trying to find a back way into the Falls Music Festival, near Lorne on the Great Ocean Road. But their plans went horribly awry when the pair lost mobile phone contact and ended up getting lost for three days. A police helicopter spotted the boys, who are from Mildura in the state's north, early on Thursday. Rescuers trekked 400 metres through thick terrain to meet them. Mr Wild said they were foolish to try and sneak into the festival. "We're idiots, and we know we're idiots at the moment. We think we are so silly," he told reporters soon after the pair emerged from the bush. The two men huddled together through three cold, wet nights. "Very close. Very close. It was nice and cosy," Mr Hurley said. Mr Wild said: "All night. All night. I had my hands inside his little jumper to keep my hands warm." Police inspector Bill Weatherly, who helped co-ordinate the search, said the youths were relieved when rescuers arrived. "For a couple of boys that have been out in the bush for three days they are in remarkable condition actually," he told AAP. "They were certainly cold, one of them had a windcheater that was wet, but inside he said it was quite warm, the other guy had a flannel shirt on. "You could see that they are tired but the two boys they are in great nick." Insp Weatherly said police drove the youths' parents to a track near where they were found. He said it was fantastic to see sons and parents reunited. "Very emotional a lot of hugs, tears from the mums and even from the dads," Insp Weatherly said. The boys had done the right thing by remaining in the one spot, he said. "They basically stayed in the one position from the time they lost communication with us on Tuesday afternoon," Insp Weatherly said. "They just walked up and down from a little creek bed if they needed a drink." After receiving a check-up on the track the boys were taken to the Lorne police station to be fed and de-briefed. Police lost mobile phone contact with the boys on Tuesday. More than 60 people including police, State Emergency Service volunteers and local bushwalkers were involved in the search. Insp Weatherly said he did not think the boys would be made to pay for the search. "I don't believe we are looking at anything other than re-uniting two kids with their families, these things happen." Harry Wild's father Ron told AAP on Wednesday his son had lost his wallet with his festival ticket in it earlier in the week.
The cost of a search for three men who disappeared in Western Australia's southern Goldfields is estimated at almost $100,000. Barry Carroll, Anthony Coughlan and Douglas Mundy were found yesterday after a three-day air and ground search of the region. The men were reported missing on Wednesday when they failed to return home from what was supposed to be a four-hour gold prospecting trip. They were found on foot around 60 kilometres south of Norseman near Gilmore Rocks, having abandoned their car, which had two flat tyres and a punctured radiator. Inspector Bob Wilson says although the costs have not been finalised, the search was not cheap. "The costs will be quite considerable there because of the number of resources we've had," he said. "We've had the SES working, we've had vehicles out there for three-and-a-half, four days effectively, I know the planes are very, very expensive on an hourly rate."
Stupidity is a drain on police resources, police say after the rescue of trapped bushwalkers earlier this morning. The four bushwalkers, who spent last night trapped in a Blue Mountains gorge, were rescued unharmed by a helicopter at about 8.20am. They had set out yesterday, but were expecting to return in the afternoon. They had no overnight supplies. "It really impacts and drains our resources when blatant stupidity is a factor,'' Acting Inspector Russell Lloyd said. "These people that want to stand on cliff edges and look out over valleys to get a good view are just asking for trouble in this weather.'' The alarm was raised about 7pm yesterday by one of the four men trapped in the Glenbrook Gorge. A police spokeswoman said sleeping out in last night's freezing conditions was punishment enough, and the men were not expected to be billed for the cost of their rescue. Inspector Lloyd said police were examining strategies to manage walkers in wilderness areas of the Blue Mountains, with a register of all hikers being considered as an option. "It's getting beyond a joke,'' he said. |
Emergency Services workers have rescued a 26-year-old bushwalker who slipped and fell from a waterfall at Mount Glorious, west of Brisbane, this afternoon. Police say the man fell about 10 metres and was knocked unconscious when he hit the water at the base of the fall around 2:30pm AEST. Inspector Hunter Nicol says he was lying face down in the water and a hiking companion jumped in and dragged him out. "He has got severe head injuries, some leg injuries from what we can gather initially," he said. "He'd fallen approximately 10 metres, landing face first into water and it was only for his friend - he was able to get him out and look after him until help was able to arrive." Inspector Nicol says the friend used a mobile phone to call for help. "It is approximately four kilometres into rainforest that we have had to trek to able to locate them," he said. Inspector Nicol says he was stabilised with the help of a doctor. "Along with the ambulance and fire rescue [he has] been able to be moved down to a clearing where he has since been winched out by helicopter and taken to the Royal Brisbane Hospital," he said.
Two Japanese men and a French woman missing in the outback of central Australia after setting off on two separate treks have been found safe and well. The Japanese tourists failed to arrive from the Valley of the Winds walk at The Olgas. Alice Springs Police say the pair split up and strayed from the walking track. They were found the following day. The French woman had registered her walk along the 22 kilometre Giles Track with the rangers and was reported as missing when she failed to arrive on Monday evening. An air and ground search found her jumper, as well as the words 'help' scrawled in the sand. She was finally located on Thursday, dehydrated and panicked but otherwise well.
The Queensland State Emergency Service (SES) is urging bushwalkers to ensure they are properly equipped before setting out on any trek. Two men and two boys were rescued last night after becoming stranded on Mt Beerwah, north of Brisbane. Glasshouse SES group leader Graham Cheal says the climbers did not have appropriate clothing and ignored warnings about a rockslide. "Darkness falls very early and you can find yourself in trouble and that is exactly what happened here," he said. "They have actually ascended up the mountain, past the rock slide, went to the top of the mountain and it was about 4:00pm before they decided to come back down again. "[It was] really not enough time when you have two little children in hand, so they got caught in the dark and then in a shower of rain."
A man and his two sons have been rescued from Mount Tibrogargan in the Glasshouse Mountains National Park on the Sunshine Coast in south-east Queensland. The man and his four- and two-year-old sons called for help last night when they could not reach the base of the mountain before sunset. Graeme Cheal from the Glasshouse State Emergency Service has criticised the man for carrying his younger son in a backpack. "To my mind it's certainly pretty young to be taking children up the mountain and pretty dangerous," he said. "I would have thought if you're climbing the major mountains, it's not just a walk in the park."
Goldfields' police say commonsense helped save a 70-year-old woman who was lost in Western Australia's outback yesterday. Police say the woman and her husband had been camping 70 kilometres north-east of Kalgoorlie when she went for a walk and failed to return. The husband notified police at 8:00am AWST, a search team was assembled and in position by 11:00am and the woman was found shortly before midday waiting on a main road. Sergeant Mason Ball says, although the woman had little water, she was wearing the right clothing and shoes to survive in the outback. "She did the right thing, she's 70 years of age, she's spent a good part of that life bushwalking etcetera and she had the commonsense - when she found a main road she basically waited on the main road until help arrived," he said.
A group of teenage hikers lost overnight in a national park in the NSW Central Coast hinterland has been found safe and well. The nine children and one adult, believed to be taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh awards, were found by rescuers "safe and well" at 8.25am, police say. A search in the dark yesterday failed to find the 14 to 15-year-olds lost on a hike in the Dharug National Park, near Wisemans Ferry. Police say they received a call for help from a member of the group about at about sunset yesterday and a search overnight failed to reach them. Brisbane Waters police station duty officer Dave Robinson said earlier the group had sent a mobile phone text message confirming they were in good health, but uncertain of their exact location. "The children are lost and don't have a great idea where they are, they have given us a general area," he told ABC Radio. "But they do have a fire going." The search resumed at 7.30am (AEST), with 12 police officers, SES personnel and forestry workers looking for the group. "It's particularly rugged terrain with very thick bushland," Chief Insp Robinson said. "So much so that we responded (sent) police rescue personnel last night about midnight, and it required them to spend the night in the bush because it was arduous trying to get through the scrub." The group of hikers had been planning to be out of the bush by 5pm (AEST) yesterday but had sensible clothing and food. The bushwalk is believed to be part of the Duke of Edinburgh awards.
A search has been launched for a 63-year-old woman missing in bushland on the NSW far south coast. The woman was walking with her husband on the Mt Imlay walking track 20km south of Eden when she went missing yesterday. Her husband has told police she decided to return to their car about 11am (AEST) because the walk was too difficult, while he continued the walk. He turned back at 1pm but couldn't find his wife, police said. Several other walkers helped the man search for his wife before alerting police. Rugged terrain forced the police and State Emergency Service (SES) to call the search off at nightfall. The search is due to resume at about 8am (AEST) and will involve local police, PolAir, the dog squad, National Parks and Wildlife Service personnel and volunteers from the SES and Rural Fire Service. Police said the woman was not dressed for the cold overnight conditions and was not carrying any food or water.
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Police in Western Australia's south say bushwalkers need to carefully prepare for their journey, after a woman was lost for seven hours without food or water this week. The 21-year-old was reported missing when she became separated from her walking partner on the Bibbulman Track on Tuesday morning. Police launched a massive search effort and located her at a camp site that evening. Sergeant Hayes says the woman was in good health but had no water on her and was not wearing appropriate hiking boots. Senior Sergeant Peter Hayes says hikers need to carry their own supplies and let friends or family know their exact route before heading out. "So prior planning, prior advice to loved ones or the appropriate authorities and stay safe. Both parties had mobile phones, but there was no contact out there, that is a black spot."
Police say a 52-year-old man is in remarkably good condition after being forced to eat "termites and bugs" while lost for five days in a remote desert area of Western Australia. Theo Rosmulder was not carrying any food or water when he disappeared on Friday while prospecting for gold with his wife and four others. He was found in a good health by Aboriginal trackers yesterday morning. Police have urged people heading out to the bush to ensure they are equipped for survival. Inspector Chris Cassidy from the Goldfields-Esperance District Office says plenty of water and matches to light a fire are essential. "There's a lot of common sense in this if you're going out to the difficult outback," he said. "You've got to be adequately prepared for the worst, you've got to be equipped." The group of about 16 people tried to climb to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko on Monday but became lost, police say. They made a makeshift snow camp but phoned Triple-0 about 6.30pm (AEST) when one of them began to show signs of hypothermia. A large-scale search was launched and rescuers found the group just before 8pm. They were all taken to safety by 9.10pm (AEST). Police have praised the group for carrying a global positioning system (GPS) and satellite phone, which made them easy to find.
A 50-year-old Victorian woman survived a heavy red gum branch falling on her face while she was camping at Picnic Point at Mathoura on the weekend. The woman was sleeping in her tent about 9:00pm AEDT on Saturday when the 50 centimetre wide branch fell onto her car then speared into her tent, striking her on the face. The woman was rushed to Deniliquin Hospital with a suspected broken nose, but doctors found her injuries were extensive bruising and swelling to her face. Police say her car was so badly damaged she had to hire another car to return home on Monday.
State Emergency Service volunteers rescued two men from Mount Beerwah on the Sunshine Coast last night. Andrew Muir and Wade Matthews, both 21, climbed to the top of the mountain yesterday afternoon, but had trouble getting down. Mr Muir says his mobile phone and camera played a part in their rescue. "We just ended up going in completely the wrong direction and we sort of went down a few cliff faces and things and just got to a spot where we pretty much couldn't go up and couldn't go down," he said. "Luckily I had my mobile phone with me so I was able to contact the SES and luckily I had a camera with me too so I was using the flash of the camera for them to pinpoint our location on the mountain."
Police say a family rescued in deteriorating weather conditions in Kosciuszko National Park yesterday failed to leave enough details of their trip, hampering searchers. The Sydney family, which included three young children, had planned to hike near Lake Albina for three days but increasing bad weather forced them to hunker down for an extra night. Police say that although the parents were experienced high country walkers, the children did not have the ability to face the severe weather conditions and there were fears that they would suffer hypothermia. The Charlotte's Pass lodge manager raised the alarm and police, fire brigade, ambulance, National Parks and SES searchers found them yesterday morning. Inspector Ian Davey of the Monaro police command says he wants to introduce a formal requirement that bushwalkers provide details about their plans. "One of the things we identified in our search - and I have spoken to all of the services, emergency services and the people involved - is that we are probably looking at a formal requirement that people who are going out on a walk from lodges provide more detail, especially the routes they are going on," he said. "This will certainly allow us to activate things a lot earlier."
Authorities have found a bushwalker who set off an emergency beacon in the southern Tasmanian wilderness yesterday morning. The man was walking in the Arthurs Range area. Police say a rescue helicopter was able to reach the man about an hour ago after a break in the weather. He had fallen and become unconscious for a short time and will be taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital.
Police are giving four people until mid-morning to walk out of bushland near Rathdowney, west of the Gold Coast. A 47-year-old man and three teenagers set out to climb Mount Barney early yesterday, but the man phoned his wife about noon to say they were turning back because of bad weather. Police were alerted when the they had not returned by nightfall. The owner of Mount Barney Lodge, Innes Larkin, says it has been a cold and wet night on the mountain. "They will be a wee bit uncomfortable, but they did have plenty of food, they had jumpers and raincoats and basic first aid and they had a lighter, so if they were getting cold they would be able to maintain good body temperature," he said.
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