A German tourist is missing while hiking in Australias Mount Augustus National Park. It is regarded as one of the most spectacular solitary peaks in the world, rising 717m above a stony, red sandplain of arid shrubland and clearly visible from the air for more than 160km.
The website said the return walk to the top of the mount and back is well sign-posted and takes a full day to complete, with a variety of easier walk trails, drive trails, lookouts, swimming holes, and picnic spots also in the vicinity.
An AMSA rescue jet was deployed overnight and on Sunday morning in two unsuccessful air searches for the man.
Karratha Police Air Wing and SES search crews from Karratha have now been deployed to assist the search party, while additional personnel was being flown in from Perth to help police from Burringurrah, Carnarvon, Geraldton, and Meekatharra try to locate the man.
The popular hiking trails were in Mount Augustus National Park, about 850km north of Perth, midway between the Great Northern and North West Coastal highways.
Mount Augustus is known as Burringurrah to the local Wajarri Aboriginal people. The park was gazetted on 22 September 1989 and is made up of former parts of Mount Augustus and Cobra Stations.
During 1999-2000, the State purchased nearby pastoral leases Cobra and Waldburg and part leases of Mount Philip and Dalgety Downs with the aim of managing the whole area – including the national park – for conservation. The total area is now 607,603ha.
Take the 49km Loop Drive around the sandstone inselberg. Access rocky creeks and gorges, open plains, view Aboriginal rock engravings (petroglyphs) and encounter a variety of wildlife.
WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:
- The website said the return walk to the top of the mount and back is well sign-posted and takes a full day to complete, with a variety of easier walk trails, drive trails, lookouts, swimming holes, and picnic spots also in the vicinity.
- It is regarded as one of the most spectacular solitary peaks in the world, rising 717m above a stony, red sandplain of arid shrubland and clearly visible from the air for more than 160km.
- During 1999-2000, the State purchased nearby pastoral leases Cobra and Waldburg and part leases of Mount Philip and Dalgety Downs with the aim of managing the whole area – including the national park – for conservation.
