{"id":67040,"date":"2026-08-07T07:16:09","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T07:16:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/67040\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T07:16:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T07:16:09","slug":"victorian-bushwalker-who-fell-from-tasmanias-federation-peak-was-trying-to-head-back-coroner-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/67040\/","title":{"rendered":"Victorian bushwalker who fell from Tasmania’s Federation Peak was trying to head back, coroner says"},"content":{"rendered":"

A “keen bushwalker” appeared “really excited” as he a set out for a “bucket list” mountain climb from which he would not return, a coroner has said.<\/p>\n

Warning: This story contains details that may be distressing.<\/p>\n

Coroner Madeleine Wilson today released her report<\/a> into the December 2024 death of a 30-year-old Victorian man who fell from Tasmania’s Federation Peak.<\/p>\n

The man had been hiking the Eastern Arthur Range Traverse with his partner, in the state’s Southwest National Park, when they attempted to summit Federation Peak.<\/p>\n

\"three<\/p>\n

The infamous climb at Federation Peak. (Supplied: Louise Fairfax)<\/p>\n

Ms Wilson said that while the couple was prepared for 10 days in the wilderness, Federation Peak was “notoriously difficult” and an “ambitious choice” for a first Tasmanian bushwalk.<\/p>\n

Tasmanian wilderness veteran Paul Helleman said that was putting it “politely”.<\/p>\n

“It’s extremely dangerous. One slip and you’ll die,” Mr Helleman said.Loading…<\/p>\n

The man’s death was one of three in the remote area in fewer than two years, including a 27-year-old man in July the same year,<\/a> and a 39-year-old the following November.<\/a><\/p>\n

Fall happened after decision to turn back<\/p>\n

Ms Wilson said the man and his partner, identified only by their initials, had met through a Melbourne hiking group about 18 months before the fatal walk.<\/p>\n

She said the man, identified in the report as SU, was fit and healthy and the pair bushwalked most weekends.<\/p>\n

In July of the same year they had completed the 12-day Larapinta Trail in the Northern Territory before deciding to travel to Tasmania.<\/p>\n

“They took appropriate clothing and supplies, including a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) and allowed themselves 10 days to complete the walk,” Ms Wilson said.<\/p>\n

\"Map<\/p>\n

Federation Peak is part of the 72-kilometre Eastern Arthur Traverse. (ABC News: Paul Yeomans)<\/p>\n

They met another walker while in the Eastern Arthur Range and, together on December 30, the trio attempted to summit Federation Peak.<\/p>\n

“They carried day packs containing water, food, mobile phones and rain jackets and left the remainder of their packs and the PLB at the campsite,” Ms Wilson said.<\/p>\n

“SU said that it was on his bucket list to climb Federation Peak and he appeared really excited.”<\/p>\n

But the trio had difficulties finding the track, which was not well marked, and after climbing a way and observing exposed drops “all around them”, decided to turn back.<\/p>\n

“As they were all seeking a route down, SU went around a rock and out of sight of his companions,” Ms Wilson said.<\/p>\n

“SU fell. [His companions] heard a gasp-like sound followed by at least two distant thuds.”<\/p>\n

Bushwalker dies in fall at Tasmania’s Federation Peak<\/a><\/p>\n

A Victorian bushwalker in his 30s has died after falling “from height” at Federation Peak, just days after the death of another bushwalker in the same national park.<\/p>\n

The coroner said his companions could not see him, and he did not respond to their calls, and they returned to camp quickly and set off their PLB.<\/p>\n

A search and rescue team found SU’s body the following morning at the base of Federation Peak.<\/p>\n

Police estimated he had fallen between 80\u2013100 metres.<\/p>\n

Mountain among Australia’s ‘most challenging’<\/p>\n

The coroner described the Eastern Arthur Range walk as being suited for a “highly experienced walker with specialised skills” and Federation Peak as “imposing” with “sheer faces and formidable jagged edges”.<\/p>\n

“It has a reputation as one of Australia’s most challenging bushwalking goals,” Ms Wilson said.<\/p>\n

She said the Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) made changes to its website for the area in May this year, and that its information was subject to ongoing review.<\/p>\n

\"Devil's<\/p>\n

The view across to Federation Peak from the Devil’s Thumb shows the mountain’s “formidable jagged edges”. (Supplied: Simon Bischoff)<\/p>\n

“The walk notes \u2026 contain a warning that the route to the summit involves significant exposure and requires technical climbing skills and that Federation Peak has been the site of multiple fatalities.<\/p>\n

“Walkers should consider whether their experience is relevant and comparable to the hike to be undertaken.<\/p>\n

“Walkers should be prepared to turn back or change their plans if the weather conditions deteriorate or if the walk is more challenging than expected.<\/p>\n

“For individuals undertaking their first hike in Tasmania, Federation Peak is an ambitious choice.”<\/p>\n

She recommended all walkers refer to the PWS website for accurate and relevant information, including preparation advice and safety messaging.<\/p>\n

‘Not just a bushwalk’, ranger says<\/p>\n

Mr Helleman, who was a Parks and Wildlife Service ranger for 40 years and recently published a book about tragedies in the Tasmanian wilderness, said Federation Peak was “not just a bushwalk”.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Federation Peak is known as being one of Australia’s most challenging climbs. (Supplied: Hamish Lockett)<\/p>\n

He said he had not attempted it himself, but there was plenty of information available about the risk of it and the Eastern Arthur Range Traverse.<\/p>\n

“It’s not something I would suggest anyone does as a first major hike,” Mr Helleman said.<\/p>\n

“It’s not an established, maintained walking track like the Overland Track. It’s a major undertaking.<\/p>\n

“People need to understand their level of skill because one mistake and you will fall tens or hundreds of metres.”<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Attempting to climb Federation Peak is a “major undertaking”, the coroner heard. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)<\/p>\n

He also said experience bushwalking on places like the Larapinta Trail was largely irrelevant when setting out on a mountainous hike in Tasmania.<\/p>\n

“I would say that’s walking experience, but it’s not relevant,” he said.<\/p>\n

“What we have is quite a bit different. It’s colder, it’s wetter, and there are other dangers.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A “keen bushwalker” appeared “really excited” as he a set out for a “bucket list” mountain climb from…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":67041,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[22,21,32733,2717,35982,10566,1561],"class_list":["post-67040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-australia","tag-au","tag-austrlia","tag-bushwalker","tag-death","tag-federation-peak","tag-national-park","tag-south-west"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67040"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67040\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67041"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}