Tasmanian search and rescue helicopter teams responded to three separate incidents involving bushwalkers on Saturday — the busiest rescue weekend of the season so far. The people rescued were a Tasmanian woman who experienced a medical episode in the Western Arthur Ranges, a Tasmanian man who became lost on the South Coast Track and two interstate tourists stranded on Cradle Mountain at night.
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00:00Stunning landscapes are one of Tasmania's biggest draw cards, but exploring its wilderness
00:08is not without risk.
00:10The reality is that these are very difficult technical walks and you need to learn how
00:15to survive and operate in the Tasmanian bush before you attempt these.
00:22During the final week of 2024, three bushwalkers died in separate incidents.
00:27A man from Victoria fell when climbing Federation Peak, while two other visitors died in medical
00:33episodes.
00:34Last night, two more people were rescued from Cradle Mountain after leaving too close to
00:40nightfall.
00:42Bushwalking experts say walking in unfamiliar environments increases risk.
00:46When people are going to be going somewhere that they don't normally go to and they're
00:51doing something they don't do all the time, the risk factor in general, regardless of
00:55the activity, has to go up.
00:57Visitation to Tasmania's parks has increased, which police say could be pushing people to
01:02walks outside their ability.
01:04The people perhaps are getting driven into more remote areas.
01:08Tasmania Police is performing more and more search and rescues, according to its annual
01:12reports.
01:14In the 23-24 year, there were 446 operations, that's 80 more than the previous year and
01:20up from 240 a decade ago.
01:23Police are urging walkers to prepare for unpredictable conditions.
01:28Plan your trip out and be prepared that your day trip may turn into an overnight trip,
01:33especially if you're going into the wilderness.
01:36Those familiar with Tasmania's rugged landscape say a national awareness campaign is needed.
01:41We'll really be talking to people who are driving somewhere, who are swimming somewhere,
01:45who are hiking somewhere different, that when they're doing their planning well before the
01:49suitcase is being filled up, that they're being mindful.
01:52Hoping to prevent any more tragedies.