Last updated: Wednesday, 19 August 2026

Lily Hooper search today: Army joins hunt for missing Sydney bushwalker

Seven days after 18-year-old Lily Hooper failed to return from a solo bushwalk in Nattai National Park, close to 100 Australian Defence Force personnel stepped into the rugged Southern Highlands wilderness to bolster a massive multi-agency rescue operation. With winter temperatures dropping sharply overnight and dense tree canopy obstructing aerial visibility, emergency teams are racing against time across treacherous terrain. The coordinated mission now combines roughly 200 emergency responders and military reservists committed to locating the experienced teenager alive.

The Story at a Glance

Lily Hooper departed her family home in Oakdale, south-west of Sydney, at 8:00 AM on Wednesday, 12 August 2026, planning to walk the Bonnum Pic trail in Nattai National Park. Inquiries indicate she reached the summit later that morning, sending messages from the route before all communication ceased. When she did not return by 10:00 PM, her family alerted authorities, prompting an immediate search that located her parked Hyundai near the trailhead at High Range by 11:00 PM. A full week later, no trace of Hooper or her personal gear has emerged, leading state authorities to call in military backup from Sydney barracks to conduct intensive ground sweeps through dense gullies.

How the Story Developed

The disappearance triggered a rapid deployment by officers from The Hume Police District, quickly expanding into a widespread inter-agency effort that mobilised regional rescue squads, trail-bike units, mounted police, and detection dogs.

As operations broadened over the weekend, severe weather and heavy bush canopy hampered aerial tracking, preventing PolAir thermal sensors and search helicopters from penetrating deep ravines. By Wednesday morning, reservists from the 5th Brigade stationed at Holsworthy Barracks, forming part of Joint Task Force 629, arrived to perform disciplined line searches across steep escarpments alongside State Emergency Service volunteers and Fire and Rescue NSW teams.

Key People and Details

Hooper is described by police as Caucasian, roughly 175cm tall, of slim build, with long blonde hair and blue eyes, last seen wearing a shirt and shorts. While authorities have not confirmed the exact provisions she carried into the park, survival specialists highlight that her established bushwalking experience and natural water access in creek beds provide critical advantages.

Ground tactics include eight volunteers from VRA Rescue NSW deployed to camp overnight directly in the rugged bush, ensuring continuity without losing daylight hours to transit. Army survival instructor Gordon Dedman pointed out that military personnel familiar with terrain south of Holsworthy bring specialized training to manage steep descents and thick vegetation.

Our family is absolutely devastated that our beloved daughter Lily is missing. We desperately want to bring Lily home safe and we ask as the search continues, to keep our family and Lily in your thoughts.

Reaction and Response

The community has rallied around the Hooper family, with her father, Jim Hooper, making an emotional public appeal on Sydney radio asking listeners to send support to the teams searching the bushland. NSW Premier Chris Minns offered public solidarity, noting the immense anxiety felt across the state during the prolonged rescue mission.

Addressing online commentary regarding solo bushwalkers, Bushwalking NSW president Jessie Burke defended the teenager's decision to explore outdoor trails, emphasising that thousands of women hike solo regularly and cautioning the public against making ungrounded assumptions about the incident. Emergency officials continue to request that private citizens refrain from entering dangerous search zones independently and instead monitor dashcam footage, rural outbuildings, and trail access points around High Range.

What to Watch

Police confirm the operation remains an active search and rescue mission, focusing intensely on lower gorge corridors and unmapped creek lines below the Bonnum Pic trail. Investigators urge anyone who travelled along Wanganderry Road or hiked the area on Wednesday, 12 August 2026, to provide dashcam footage or information to Moss Vale Police Station on 02 4869 7899 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Lily Hooper last seen?

She left her home in Oakdale at approximately 8:00 AM on Wednesday, 12 August 2026, to hike the Bonnum Pic trail in Nattai National Park.

Where is the active search taking place?

The search is concentrated across Nattai National Park near High Range in the NSW Southern Highlands, roughly 60km north-west of Mittagong.

Why was the Australian Defence Force called in?

Close to 100 soldiers from the 5th Brigade at Holsworthy Barracks were deployed to assist roughly 200 emergency personnel in conducting exhaustive line searches through difficult ravines and thick bushland.

How can members of the public help the rescue effort?

Authorities ask the public to stay out of the hazardous wilderness and instead review private CCTV, rural property boundaries, or vehicle dashcam footage captured near High Range since 12 August.