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Camera IconWA Police have confirmed the tent was reported to them in late March, but hikers have reported seeing it as recently as last week. Credit: unknown\/Facebook<\/p>\nA months-long search effort for a missing Victorian man is now focused on a WA hiking hotspot after the discovery of an abandoned tent in Perth\u2019s east.<\/p>\n
The search for 27-year-old Samuel Robert Whitsed began more than two months ago in Melbourne where he was last seen in the suburb of St Albans on February 14.<\/p>\n
Up to this week, search efforts by Victoria Police have been largely focused on the east coast.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, attention turned to Western Australia, after reports surfaced that Mr Whitsed was seen walking towards the popular Bibbulmun hiking track Track on Brookton Highway near Albany Highway on Saturday February 18.<\/p>\n
An abandoned green tent on the walking trail at Canning Hut, which members of the public began reporting about five weeks ago, has reportedly now been linked to the missing man.<\/p>\n
Camera IconWA Police have confirmed the tent was reported to them in late March, but hikers have reported seeing it as recently as last week. Credit: unknown\/Facebook<\/p>\n
The hut is about a 12 kilometre walk from the Brookton Campsite, located slightly off Brookton Highway in the Helena National Park.<\/p>\n
The tent was reported to WA Police in late March, but hikers have reported seeing it as recently as last week.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just called police and the green tent several of us saw at canning camp did belong to this guy (Whitsed),\u201d a post to a hiking Facebook group read.<\/p>\n
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Camera IconThe search for 27-year-old Samuel Robert Whitsed began more than two months ago in Melbourne. Credit: unknown\/WAPolice<\/p>\n
Another member reported a recent sighting of the tent.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe gear was there a week ago but packed up by parks staff. I took the bag of pistachios ! Sorry,\u201d they wrote in a comment.<\/p>\n
Mr Whitsed is 170-180cm tall with a medium build, brown hair, a beard, a moustache, and has tattoos on his left arm.<\/p>\n
Victoria Police in February said the family of Mr Whitsed were \u201cconcerned for his well being due to a medical condition\u201d.<\/p>\n
He was believed to have been carrying camping equipment and planning to stay on the Bibbulmun Track.<\/p>\n
He was last seen wearing black trousers, a red t-shirt or light-coloured jumper, and slides.<\/p>\n