Minister holds on
Wangaratta Chronicle, Page 4. Wednesday, 2 September 2009
State Government Minister Tim Holding was reunited with his family at Pioneer Park in Bright yesterday after spending 48 hours lost at Mt Feathertop.
The Minister for Water, Tourism and Finance was found 2.6km from the summit and spent Monday night in freezing conditions with temperatures on the mountain dropping to -6C.
After attending the Kangaroo Hoppet at Falls Creek on Saturday, Mr Holding set off for his hike alone from Bungalow Spur, near Harrietville.
He texted his partner, Ellen Whinnett, at 630pm to say he had arrived at Federation Hut and the alarm was raised when he failed to return on schedule at 4pm on Sunday.
More than 80 rescuers, including military personnel and alpine bushwalking experts, continued searching for him yesterday morning.
Deputy police commissioner Kieran Waishe said Mr Holding was winched off the mountain by a police helicopter, after he was spotted from the air just after 10am.
He was reunited with his parents Caroline and Bruce Holding and partner Ellen Whinnette when the chopper landed at Bright, and he was then flown by air ambulance to the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.
“He’s been in some nasty elements for the last 48 hours or so,” Dep Corn Waishe said.
“We’re very pleased.
“We always had confidence that we would locate him and as I’ve said many times he’s young, fit, experienced and well equipped.
“We had some information come overnight, which we had been working on this morning.
“We had search teams in the location and he was located not far from that point.”
Mr Walshe said he hadn’t had a chance to debrief Mr Holding and work out what exactly went wrong.
“We’re just very fortunate that the weather did clear,” he said.
Mr Waishe praised the commitment and dedication of the police and volunteers.
“Don’t he mistaken just because this is a cabinet minister for the state of Victoria that we don’t do these kind of searches all the time,’ he said.
Mrs Holding said she never feared the worst for her son because he was fit and well equipped.
Mr Holding said he was lost for words to see his son on firm ground.
“I can’t describe the last two days,” he said.
“He’ll continue to walk because it’s a passion he loves.
“Tim is his own person.
He’s done very well and this is probably something he’ll never forget.” Ms Whinnette said her partner was in a relatively good condition, with a few scratches and bruises.
Mr and Mrs Holding paid tribute to the police, paramedics, the Federation of Bushwalkers, Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia, Bush Search and Rescue Victoria, the SES and the army.
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