Hiker Lily Hooper found dead after eight-day bush search
The body of missing Sydney teenager and hiker Lily Hooper, 18, has been found in Nattai National Park after an eight-day search. Police believe the remains located in dense Southern Highlands bushland on Thursday are hers. Premier Chris Minns briefly said she was alive before correcting the tragic error. The case has drawn national attention across Australia and abroad, including among readers following true crime and unsolved mysteries.
Key Takeaways
- Lily Hooper, 18, of Sydney, went missing on 12 August after a solo walk in Nattai National Park.
- Her body was located about 11:30 local time on Thursday in dense Southern Highlands bushland.
- Premier Chris Minns wrongly told parliament she was alive, then retracted minutes later.
- Police say a miscommunication involving an SES code word sparked the false "found alive" report.
- A multi-agency search included NSW Police units, Rural Fire Service, parks staff, and nearly 100 ADF members.
What happened to hiker Lily Hooper?
Hooper left her Sydney home on 12 August to walk in a nearby national park. Her family reported her missing that night after she failed to return by 22:00.
Her car was found in a car park at the bottom of a challenging trail in Nattai National Park. According to the BBC, police said a body found in dense vegetation would likely have to be carried out on foot. Formal identification was still pending, but authorities believed the remains were Hooper's.
Why was Lily Hooper briefly reported alive?
Confusion erupted when New South Wales Premier Chris Minns told a parliamentary hearing that Lily had been found alive. Local media reported that her family was also told she was alive. Minns soon corrected himself, saying her body had been found and she was deceased.
News.com.au reported that an SES code phrase — "half a bottle of water" — was meant to shield relatives listening near search radios, but was misunderstood and relayed as confirmation she was alive. Assistant Police Commissioner Joseph Cassar said parents had an eight-to-10-minute window of incorrect hope before an update. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon "unreservedly" apologised for the miscommunication. An internal investigation was launched into the inter-agency bungle.
How big was the search for Lily Hooper?
The hunt ran about eight days across rugged Southern Highlands terrain. NSW Police units involved included PolAir, the Rescue Unit, the Trail Bike Unit, the Mounted Unit and the Dog Unit.
Support also came from the Rural Fire Service, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and almost 100 members of the Australian Defence Force. Officials stressed thick bush and tough radio conditions complicated the operation.
What have leaders said about her death?
Minns called the outcome devastating and apologised to a parliamentary committee. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute in parliament, calling Hooper's death an unspeakable tragedy and saying she "had so much more to offer the world."
Opposition leader Angus Taylor, Hooper's local MP, said incorrect reports that she had been found alive made the family's loss even worse. Police sources urged focus on supporting her parents, Jim and Kirrily, after the exhausting search in freezing weather and dense wilderness.