The body of missing 18-year-old bushwalker Lily Hooper has been found in a remote New South Wales national park, more than a week after she set out on a hike.
NSW Premier Chris Minns delivered the devastating news during a parliamentary hearing on Thursday, after initially telling the hearing that Hooper had been found alive.
“I’ve got some terrible news,” Minns said, before correcting his earlier statement.
“I apologise … it seems as if the earlier advice was wrong. Lily’s body has been found. She’d been found deceased. This is obviously devastating, and I’m profoundly sad for her family and for all those concerned. I apologise.”
NSW Police later confirmed that a woman’s body was located in bushland at about 11.30am during the search for Hooper. The body has not yet been formally identified, but police believe it is that of the missing 18-year-old.
Hooper had told her family she was going hiking in Nattai National Park last week. She left Oakdale in Sydney’s south-west at about 8am and travelled to the remote park.
During the hike, Hooper remained in contact with family members and was understood to have reached the summit of Bonnum Pic at about mid-morning.
She failed to return that evening and could no longer be contacted, prompting a major multi-agency search.
Her car was found at the Bonnum Pic trailhead on Wanganderry Road at about 11pm, but there were initially no further signs of her whereabouts.
Police, State Emergency Service volunteers, firefighters and specialist rescue teams joined the search, with helicopters, drones and the NSW Police air wing deployed across the rugged terrain.
Defence personnel were also brought into the operation as the search continued.
Hume Police crime manager Detective Inspector Benjamin Bowles had earlier said authorities were concerned for Hooper’s safety.
Search teams continued working through difficult bushland and overnight operations before the discovery of the body on Thursday.
The circumstances surrounding Hooper’s death have not yet been established, and police investigations are continuing.
The tragic discovery comes after more than a week of intensive searching involving multiple emergency services and specialist teams.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
