The Harbour Bridge pylons have been lit up in purple as 18-year-old bushwalker Lily Hooper’s family laid her to rest on Thursday after her body was recovered in a National Park in the south-west of Sydney.
A large crowd of young people congregated at a chapel in Sydney’s southwest on Thursday to bid farewell the “fearless” teenager after her death on a solo hike in rugged NSW bushland gripped Australia.
The 18-year-old’s body was tragically discovered on Thursday August 20, in an isolated part of Nattai National Park, south-west of Sydney, after an eight-day multi-agency search.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns vowed to do “something special” in memory of the teenage hiker, which has resulted in the Harbour Bridge pylons being bathed in vibrant purple.
Lily Hooper worked as a Sydney BridgeClimb guide, taking tourists on climbs across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Sydney Harbour BridgeClimb issued a statement saying Lily was “an absolute delight from the moment she joined and lit up every space with her smile and enthusiasm”.
“She was compassionate, a friend to all, motivated and had a positive impact on everyone she connected with,” a spokesperson said.
“Her loss is felt deeply throughout our team, and Lily’s family and loved ones are in our thoughts and our hearts, today and always.”
The teenager was a fixture across local sporting and community groups training in martial arts.
Hooper’s high school, which she graduated from in 2025, Campbelltown Performing Arts, remembered her as a “kind, humorous and respectful young woman who lit up every room with her infectious smile, positive energy and determination to live life to its fullest”, reported The Guardian.
The search for the 18-year-old involved up to 1,000 personnel over eight days, including NSW Police, SES volunteers, the Australian Defence Force and other emergency services.
Ms Hooper had last been seen leaving a home on Burragorang Road in Oakdale about 8am on August 12.
A NSW Police spokesperson confirmed the body was airlifted from the bushland in Nattai National Park on Friday, August 21.
It came after a heartbreaking miscommunication regarding Ms Hooper’s condition, with reports initially stating she was found alive before her parents were told minutes later that she was dead.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon apologised “unreservedly” to the family over the miscommunication.