A 69-year-old bushwalker has been rescued following a multi-agency operation in the Southern Highlands overnight.
Police say that at around 6.15pm on Monday, emergency services were called to Stevos Track at Carrington Falls (pictured), following reports the man had become lost while bushwalking.
At around 10pm, Illawarra Police Rescue and National Parks and Wildlife Service located the man in dense bushland. He was offered food and water and was found to be suffering from mild hypothermia and a small abrasion to his face, NSW Police said in a statement.
He was rescued and exited the bush at around 1.40am today, arriving back at the command post where he was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics.
Hume Police District Chief Inspector Brendan Bernie said it was a timely reminder for bushwalkers to be prepared for any conditions when heading out on a hike.
“No matter how experienced a bushwalker you are, it’s really important you are equipped with safety equipment, wearing suitable clothing and carrying food and water. Conditions can change quickly and in this case the temperature dropped to around 4 degrees and was raining, proving challenging for all those involved,” Chief Inspector Bernie said.
“We also encourage bushwalkers to have a GPS enabled Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) if you get into difficulty to alert authorities. It’s also a great idea to fill out a trip intention form with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, so authorities know where to intend to travel and your return time, in the event don’t return safely and authorities can be notified.”
