A 30-year-old Australian man is dead after falling 30-40m down a mountain in Mt Aspiring National Park.
The man, who moved to New Zealand in 2006, had been tramping with a group of nine Dunedin friends who entered Mt Aspiring National Park on Friday afternoon, Sergeant Aaron Nicholson, Wanaka police Search and Rescue (SAR) co-ordinator, said.
They had walked through to the Aspiring Flats of the Kitchener River, where they camped overnight.
The group took a known but unmarked route over the Wilmot Saddle beside Sisyphus Peak and the man fell about 7pm yesterday as they were descending difficult country with steep tussock and scrubby slopes between a series of bluffs, Mr Nicholson said.
He hit his head several times as he fell, suffering significant head injuries. His friends him CPR for 30 minutes but were unable to revive him.
Three people left to seek help while the others stayed with the man's body.
Police were alerted about 5.45am and searchers recovered the man's body about 7.20am today from the northern slopes of Sisyphus Peak in the eastern branch of the Matukituki River.
The man, who was originally from Canberra, had been living in Dunedin. His partner was one of the people tramping with him.
His name would not be released until police had contacted his family in Australia, Mr Nicholson said.
The death had been referred to the coroner.
