{"id":1031028,"date":"2026-08-29T13:37:19","date_gmt":"2026-08-29T13:37:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1031028\/"},"modified":"2026-08-29T13:37:19","modified_gmt":"2026-08-29T13:37:19","slug":"cause-of-death-revealed-for-teenage-hiker-lily-hooper-after-eight-day-search-in-nsw-southern-highlands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1031028\/","title":{"rendered":"Cause of death revealed for teenage hiker Lily Hooper after eight-day search in NSW Southern Highlands"},"content":{"rendered":"

New details have emerged about how teenage hiker Lily Hooper<\/a> died after disappearing during a solo bushwalk in the NSW<\/a> Southern Highlands.<\/p>\n

The 18-year-old set off on a trail in Nattai National Park<\/a> on August 12 for what was meant to be a day hike.<\/p>\n

Her body was found in dense bushland<\/a> eight days later following a gruelling search involving hundreds of emergency services personnel and volunteers.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

Preliminary reports indicate Hooper suffered a fall and died on the first day she went missing.<\/p>\n

\u201cPreliminary reports said Lily had a fall, she had an accident that first afternoon, she died the day she went missing and was found lying peacefully in dense bushland,\u201d her mother, Kirrily Hooper, told The Daily Telegraph<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn hindsight we now know she passed quickly and she didn\u2019t suffer in the cold.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the hardest part, not knowing if she was out there scared in the elements when we would come home at night and try to sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"TheThe 18-year-old was described by her father as unstoppable and fearless. Credit: 7NEWS<\/p>\n

Hooper had planned to attend a martial arts training session<\/a> at Bujutsu Martial Arts and Fitness Centre before heading to her boyfriend\u2019s home after the hike.<\/p>\n

When she failed to arrive at her boyfriend\u2019s home as expected, he contacted her sister, prompting the search for the missing teenager.<\/p>\n

Hooper, who worked as a tour guide at Sydney Harbour Bridge\u2019s BridgeClimb, was remembered by her father Jim Hooper<\/a> as \u201cunstoppable\u201d and \u201cfearless\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe just loved the outdoors. She just had so many skills that, you know, we tried to install in her. Yeah, she was just a clever kid who wasn\u2019t afraid to take anything on. That was her free spirit,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Jim walked the track his daughter took and believes he has some idea what may have happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did walk the track, it\u2019s a hectic track, I was surprised she took it on. I think it was on dark and she got disorientated and she headed in a direction that she didn\u2019t walk in on,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike I said the bush can swallow you up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"LilyLily hooper\u2019s parents Jim and Kirrily Hooper. Credit: 7NEWS<\/p>\n

Jim said he had previously tried to discuss bush safety with his daughter, but like many teenagers, she was confident in her abilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cI locked horns with her about this sort of stuff which saddens me in a lot of ways because there was a lot of you know \u2018what do you know dad\u2019 stuff and you know kids think they know better,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Hooper\u2019s family is now calling for better bush safety education and greater awareness<\/a> of emergency tracking devices for young people venturing into remote areas.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe think it\u2019d be good if there was a legacy that was left like a Skye\u2019s Law, Jack\u2019s Law … Lily\u2019s Law,\u201d Jim said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that\u2019s about the awareness of going out in the bush with EPIRBs, tracker devices, Garmin, Navman type devices.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u2018Lily\u2019s law\u2019: Update as family pleads for legacy after tragic loss of daughter<\/p>\n

2 min read<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Heartbroken dad\u2019s final wish for \u2018fearless\u2019 teen hiker Lily Hooper<\/p>\n

2 min read<\/p>\n

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