Wilderness experts weigh in on desperate search for missing teen hiker

Ms Hooper – an experienced bushwalker – was reported missing six days ago, having left her home at 8am on Wednesday to hike in Nattai National Park, NSW.
Almost a week later and there remains to be any sign of the 18-year-old, with police on Monday confirming they had found no trace of her or her belongings in the surrounding area.

Trail Hiking Australia founder Darren Edwards has weighed in on the search, saying an important bushwalking lesson is to never equate experience with safety.

“Experience can certainly help, but every hike is different and conditions can change quickly,” Mr Edwards said.

“Hiking alone does come with additional risks. There’s nobody there to help with decision-making, to spot problems you might miss, or raise the alarm if something goes wrong.”

Mr Edwards is no stranger to perils of the environment; in 2016, he was paralysed from the chest down after he fell off a cliff while rock-climbing in North Wales.

“In my experience, most incidents don’t start with one mistake. They tend to develop through a series of small decisions or changing circumstances,” Mr Edwards said.

“A track is slower than expected. The weather changes. Navigation becomes more difficult … individually these things might not seem significant, but they can gradually build into a much bigger problem.”

Bushwalking NSW President Jessie Burke said while there were some risks to hiking alone, speculation about Ms Hooper’s ability to navigate the bush could only go so far.

“It’s important for people not to assume things. We don’t know the circumstances, we don’t know how well equipped Lily was – we just don’t have those answers. I see a lot of commentary online from people saying it’s reckless or stupid to go out by yourself, particularly as a female, and I don’t think that’s a fair call,” she said.

“We have 11,000 bushwalkers in our organisation, the majority of whom are women who go bushwalking by themselves quite frequently. It’s not inherently dangerous.

“I don’t think Lily was being reckless. She’s gone out to have a good day walking, and whatever has happened has happened.”

A multi-agency search of the surrounding area is under way, with Police Rescue, NSW Ambulance, Fire and Rescue NSW, SES and members of Lily’s family all involved in the tireless efforts to find her.

In a statement issued on Monday, SES confirmed that its volunteers were out in force supporting the search effort.

“Across the operation, more than 200 NSW SES personnel have deployed to the field, working around the clock alongside specialist remote area bush search and rescue operators to navigate the dense, steep and demanding bushland terrain around Nattai National Park,” the statement reads.

“At the High Range forward command post, emergency services remain fully integrated and working side-by-side to bring Lily home.”

It comes after the volunteer rescue organisation vowed to leave no stone unturned in the effort to locate the missing woman.

Meanwhile, her local community has started to rally around her family, with the Rotary Club of Wollondilly North establishing a support fund and a Facebook page dedicated to the cause.

In a post to the page, a spokesman for the Rotary Club branch said her disappearance had “brought profound sadness and a feeling of helplessness to all who know her”.

“Lily’s kindness, spirit and connection to the Oakdale and Wollondilly regions, along with her family, has touched many lives and our club is committed to standing beside her family during this difficult time.”

Wollondilly Shire mayor Matt Gould also added his voice to the wellwishers hoping Ms Hooper is found.

“For almost a week now, our whole community has been hoping for good news as the search continues for 18-year-old Oakdale local Lily Hooper,” he wrote, sharing the Rotary Club fundraising page.

“I can’t begin to imagine what Lily’s family are going through right now.”

Search and rescue teams are now narrowing their scope to locate the missing hiker in a “much smaller area” in the Bonnum Pic trail area in Sydney’s southwest.

“Lily is an experienced bushwalker, we are relying on her experience to get her through this ordeal and we are still hoping that she will be found alive and safe,” chief inspector Brendan Bernie said.

“This is an ongoing search and rescue operation, we will be here as long as it takes.”

“She’s an 18-year-old, she’s very fit and she’s an experienced bushwalker and we’re hoping that holds her in good stead.”

SES teams searching through “incredibly arduous” terrain have said “there’s no stone being left unturned”.

The update follows Ms Hooper’s father emotionally phoning breakfast radio to plead for public support.

While 2SM Breakfast Host Tim Webster was fielding calls on Monday morning, a man who identified himself as the father of missing hiker Lily Hooper said he had decided to “bite the bullet” and speak publicly about the search.

Audibly choking back tears, Ms Hooper’s father said he was “very upset” and he wanted people to “cross their fingers” as the search for the missing teen entered its fourth day.

“We’re going to find her today. I’m going back to her now, I’m just putting my boots on, and I just want everyone to throw love and energy because we’ve gotta go and find her,” he said.

“We’ve got to find this kid. She’s got to be in there somewhere.”

Ms Hooper’s father has searched for his missing daughter but until now has refrained from directly addressing the media.

“I’ve been very quiet, I don’t post anything on social media or anything like that and I thought … I’m just going to bite the bullet and ring up,” he said.

“I just want everyone out there to cross their fingers and hope we find her today because it’s been too long.”

“About 11pm, Lily’s car was found parked on Wanganderry Rd, near the start of the Bonnum Pic Walking Trail at High Range, and a command post was established,” police said.

“Initial inquiries indicate Lily reached the summit of Bonnum Pic about midmorning; however, there’s been no further contact since that time.”

NSW Police Chief Inspector Brendan Bernie said “no trace of Lily” had yet been located as of Monday morning, citing difficulties for rescuers navigating the terrain of Nattai National Park.

“It’s quite dense with bushland and there’s a dense tree canopy which also hinders our aerial searching. However, we’re on the ground, there’s a good support from the local community and our volunteers are doing a fantastic job,” he said.

According to AllTrails, the Bonnum Pic track “requires significant self-reliance” due to post-bushfire regrowth, making parts of the trail overgrown and difficult to follow.

Police Rescue, NSW Ambulance, Fire and Rescue NSW, SES and members of Lily’s family have been working throughout the weekend to find her.

Volunteer rescue squads from as far north as Cessnock have also been mobilised to help in the search.

The search will continue on Monday.