Police received a triple zero 000 call from two men lost on Mt Bogong on Saturday 5 July, who had become separated from the rest of their party in bad weather. Police requested BSAR assistance. Five BSAR members from the Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club at Mt Beauty responded at short notice to the BSAR local call-out and ascended the Staircase Spur during the night. In the early hours of Sunday morning they located the two men in their collapsed tent near the top of the Staircase Spur. Both were thoroughly soaked, severely hypothermic and dehydrated. The men were moved into tents and carefully warmed over the next few hours.Once sufficiently re-warmed, each man was moved down to Bivouac Hut for further treatment, now assisted by members of Police Search and Rescue Squad. At Bivouac Hut additional BSAR members from Melbourne and Mt Beauty, as well as local SES personnel, assisted in getting the men off Mt Bogong. This was successfully achieved by the end of the day. Both men made a full recovery.
Bogong Rescue 1st call-out – Birkie BSAR team (Ambulance Officer not in photo)
Bogong Rescue 2nd call-out BSAR team at Bivouac Hut
Police SAR team and volunteers at Bivouac Hut. Photo: Duncan Brookes
Searchers on Staircase Spur. Photo: Duncan Brookes
Police SAR team and volunteers at Bivouac Hut. Photo: Bob Flower
Police SAR and volunteers escorting patient down Staircase Spur. Photo: Duncan Brookes
External links
- Mountain search – Victoria Police News