A 30-year-old Victorian man who fell to his death while attempting to climb Federation Peak in Tasmania’s southwest was a fit and experienced bushwalker tackling the mountain for the first time, a coroner has found.
The man, identified only as SU in a de-identified finding, fell between 80 and 100 metres on December 30 while trying to navigate the notoriously difficult peak in Southwest National Park.
Coroner Madeleine Wilson found SU died from multiple blunt force injuries, with catastrophic head injuries meaning he was unlikely to have been conscious or survived for any significant time after the fall.
SU lived in Brunswick West, Victoria and worked as a Business Development Manager at Monash University.
He had been accepted into the Victorian Police Service and was due to start a recruit course at the end of January 2025.
He and his partner BR, who he met through a hiking group in Melbourne, began the Eastern Arthur Range Traverse on December 22.
On December 28 they were joined by solo walker Jing Jin at the Goon Moor campsite.
The trio set off on December 30 to climb Federation Peak carrying only day packs, leaving their main gear and personal locator beacon at camp.
The group struggled to find the route, eventually locating cairns after meeting two other bushwalkers who pointed them in the right direction.
After climbing to a high ledge surrounded by exposed drops, they decided to turn back.
Jin described the rock surface as “grassy and slippery.”
SU moved around a rock and out of sight before falling.
Jin heard a gasp followed by distant thuds.
The pair activated the beacon and a rescue helicopter arrived about an hour later but could not search due to cloud.
SU’s body was found at the base of the peak the following morning.
The coroner noted Federation Peak has been the site of five reportable deaths since 2007, with three occurring since 2024.
Wilson said the Eastern Arthur Range Traverse “should only be undertaken by highly experienced walkers and if within the individual’s capabilities.”
“For individuals undertaking their first hike in Tasmania, Federation Peak is an ambitious choice,” she said.
She recommended walkers refer to the Parks and Wildlife Service website for safety information before embarking on the walk.
