Karl Walter Quaass (30) was a cheeky, adventurous man who died in the prime of his life, Prof Murray Tilyard said yesterday.
Mr Quaass died on Saturday after he fell while tramping with eight others, including his partner, near the Wilmot Saddle in a remote area of the park.
Members of the group climbed down to help him but he had suffered significant head injuries and was unable to be revived, despite 30 minutes of CPR.
Three of the group walked out to raise the alarm, and Mr Quaass' body was recovered early on Sunday.
Wanaka police search-and-rescue co-ordinator Sergeant Aaron Nicholson said the group had been devastated by Mr Quaass' death, especially his partner, who was with him when he died.
"That would have been the last thing she anticipated . . . having to deal with that."
Prof Tilyard, chief executive of Dunedin-based Best Practice Advocacy Centre Ltd (Bpac), said Mr Quaass had worked as a content developer for the healthcare interventions company for the past three years.
This week, the team was due to celebrate milestone usage of a second-opinion computer programme for GPs which Mr Quaass was instrumental in developing.
"He was doing some cutting-edge work."
He understood Mr Quaass, from Adelaide, had followed his partner Heidi Baillie to New Zealand.
He was "very, very happy" in Dunedin and was passionate about the outdoors.
"He took on New Zealand's great outdoors with vigour, but he was sensible with it."
Mr Quaass and other staff often exchanged jokes and general cheek.
"He was a slightly mad Australian . . . with a positive attitude," Prof Tilyard joked.
The team at Bpac was in shock following Mr Quaass' sudden death, especially as it followed the unexpected death of another employee, Dave Hall, in March.
Mr Hall (29) died after hitting a parked vehicle while riding his mountain bike in Barr St, Dunedin.
Mr Quaass was also in the prime of his life and it was sad when good young people were suddenly taken, Prof Tilyard said.
"It seems that the good die young because they are adventurous and have a free spirit. This is a real tragedy.
"He'll be sorely missed."
Police said yesterday Mr Quaass' family in Adelaide would repatriate his body to Australia as soon as possible.
