Face of Nation : A Victorian hiker who has spent his fourth night lost in the Tasmanian wilderness is at risk of hypothermia as the search to find him resumes. Michael Bowman, 57, was expected to finish a walk at Lake St Clair visitor centre in the state’s Central Highlands on Saturday but still hasn’t shown up. Mr Bowman, from Melbourne’s east, hasn’t activated his emergency beacon.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Matthew Thomas told AAP strong conditions would persist overnight, with serious concerns for any person left out in the cold.
“Cold temperatures and strong winds increase the risk of hypothermia,” he said of the conditions overnight, adding falling rain would wash snow into rivers an creeks.
Police believe he set-up camp in a sheltered area to do day walks in the Mt Cuvier region before he became stuck in bad weather.
Tasmania Police Inspector Darren Hopkins told ABC Radio on Monday the search team would check huts along various trails in the Cradle Mountain area for him.
“We’ll be flying through the park tomorrow by helicopter and checking all the huts along the way, provided we can get the helicopter in but we’re expecting the weather to clear,” he said.
Police and State Emergency Service crews have battled freezing and snow conditions during their hunt for the missing Mt Waverley man.
The temperature at Lake St Clair is due to drop to a low of 2C overnight with strong winds and rain expected to wash away the weekend’s dump of snow.
His disappearance comes after several bushwalkers had to be rescued from blizzard-like weather in the southern state at Lake Petrarch near Lake St Clair on Monday.
Another two NSW hikers were plucked from the Walls of Jerusalem National Park to the south earlier in the day.
In a separate search mission, an experienced West Australian father and daughter hiking duo were also caught in bad weather in Lake St Clair National Park.
The pair have suitable equipment and are making their way to Pelion Hut, from where authorities will decide if they need help.
People are urged not to go bushwalking unless they are ready for freezing weather.
