A bushwalker has spent much of the night lost in dense bushland in the Southern Highlands, sparking an emergency search.
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Emergency services were called to Stevos Track at Carrington Falls about 6.15pm on Monday, July 1, following reports a 69-year-old man was lost.
Emergency services set up a command post, with officers attached to Hume Police District joined by Illawarra Police Rescue and National Parks and Wildlife services personnel.
They found the man about 10pm, suffering mild hypothermia and a small abrasion to his face. He was offered food and water.
It was almost four hours before crews arrived back at the command post, at 1.40am on Tuesday.
The man was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics on scene.
Hume Police District Chief Inspector Brendan Bernie said the incident was a timely reminder for bushwalkers to be prepared for any conditions when heading out on a hike.
"No matter how experienced a bushwalker you are, it's really important you are equipped with safety equipment, wearing suitable clothing and carrying food and water. Conditions can change quickly and in this case the temperature dropped to around 4 degrees and was raining, proving challenging for all those involved," Chief Inspector Bernie said.
"We also encourage bushwalkers to have a GPS enabled Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) if you get into difficulty to alert authorities. It's also a great idea to fill out a trip intention form with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, so authorities know where to intend to travel and your return time, in the event don't return safely and authorities can be notified."
