Nattai National Park, NSW: Desperate search for Lily Hooper, 18, resumes

Lily Hooper was last seen on Wednesday morning when she was heading off to go on a bushwalk.

Emily Williams
The Nightly
Eighteen-year-old Lily Hooper has been missing since Wednesday morning after leaving her Oakdale home for a walk in a nearby national park southwest of Sydney.

A desperate search for a missing teenager will enter its fourth day on Saturday as fears grow for the bushwalker.

Lily Hooper, 18, told her family she was going hiking in Nattai National Park in New South Wales on Wednesday,

About 8am, she left Oakdale in Sydney’s south-west.

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While in the park, Ms Hooper sent messages to her loved ones.

That evening, the experienced bushwalker did not return and could no longer be reached, prompting a multi-agency search for the teenager.

Ms Hooper’s car was found at the Bonnum Pic trailhead on Wanganderry Road but no further signs have been found of her.

She is described as being about 175 centimetres tall with a slim build, blonde hair, and blue eyes.

Police, SES, and fire services are desperately working to locate the teenager, with helicopters, drones, and specialist rescuers also being deployed.

Hume Police crime manager Detective Inspector Benjamin Bowles said on Friday authorities were concerned for Ms Hooper’s safety.

However, he remained optimistic and said Ms Hooper was an experienced hiker.

“We have not been able to fully confirm what supplies (Ms Hooper) had with her at the time but we are still hopeful that we will be able to locate her safe and sound,” he said.

“We don’t have any information to suggest that this is anything other than an overdue hiker.”

On Friday, defence personnel joined the search effort.

Police are urging anyone with any information to contact them.

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