Search Continues for Missing Man in the Yarra Ranges

A fourth day of searching has come and gone for missing 57 year old Canadian hiker Warren Meyer:

MORE than 100 people have joined the search for missing Beaumaris bushwalker Warren Meyer, amid fading hopes he will be found alive.

The 57-year-old Canadian national was last seen at the Dom Dom Saddle car park in the Yarra Ranges National Park about 7.30am on Sunday and failed to return by noon that day.

He was set to face his fourth night in rugged mountain bush as rains dumped 20mm on the area and overnight temperatures dropped to just 5.5 degrees celsius.

The search – which resumed at first light today – now comprises more than 40 State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers, 20 members of the Bushwalkers Search and Rescue Association (BSARA) plus police trail bike riders, search and rescue dog handlers and mounted police. [Herald-Sun]

The area where Meyer has gone missing is in thickly forested bushland just to the East of Melbourne and northeast of Healsville and just southwest of Marysville:

The hike he went on was only 10 kilometers long to the Dom Dom Saddle. The hike was only supposed to take a few hours, but when he didn’t come back on time his wife began to worry and ultimately ended up contacting the police. Since then the police have been searching for Mr. Meyer in the bushland along the trail. It is believed that Mr. Meyer left the trail and some how either became lost or incapacitated in some way. Even though he couldn’t have traveled very far finding him is proving to be difficult because of the terrain.

In this picture the area of mountains that Warren Meyer became missing in is not too far from Maroondah Reservoir picture below:

These trees and bush in the area are extremely thick. The picture below is of a road in the area that surrounded by the giant mountain ash trees that grow all over this area:

Along with the thick brush is the fact the mountains are steep and now poor weather is hampering the search as cold and rain is currently hitting Victoria with snow projected in the high country. Mr. Meyer is an experienced bushwalker and he left well equipped with water, food, a GPS, and a cell phone. This offers some slim hope that he can still be found alive. Let’s pray for the best and hopefully Mr. Meyer can be found.