Theft on the AAWT Viking

[Sundowner]

Due to a mishap I had to be rescued from the Viking. I was separated from my pack so it was left behind.
Some kind walker found the pack and reported the discovery to Search and Rescue.( Whoever reported it, thanks so much) Sometime later Parks Vic, let me know that the pack had been retrieved, and I could come and claim it at regional office. Which I did do.
It was disappointing to find that it had been pilfered, sleeping bag, hiking poles, thermarest, tent pegs but not the tent. A bad thief takes everything, a good one leaves something, I had $160 in cash, some one had pocketed $100 of this. My food supply was taken good no problem, whoever took it how did you find DIY dehydrated meals
Thanks to Police Search & rescue, Vic Ambulance, the hiker who did the reporting and Parks Victoria

[darsenator]

G'day...

So sorry to hear about your situation. I was doing the AAWT myself from the MT Erica Car park to the Talbot Peak Trig point & back.
I can't believe someone would take something that does not belong to them (even if it's found in the scrub), at least one good hiker did the right thing.

Was your rescue the result of an injury ?

I did see a snake on the path today...had a yellow belly...but I'm not sure if it was a tiger or yellow belly ...either way I did not want to get close enough to find out....It saw me before I saw it and quickly slithered into the scrub, this occurred when descending from "Mushroom Rocks"

Lucky I was heading back to the car.

[GBW]

Hey Sundowner, can I ask you what happened that you required a rescue and how you got separated from your pack and where it was? My partner and I were up that way last Saturday and while there were a few people at Mac Springs, we didnt see anyone for a 10 day period before that coming from Baw Baw. I'm a bit shocked that someone would steal your gear out there!

[neilmny]

Stealing someones gear at any time is low but out there the lowest.
Given that the pack may have been left for a side trip the perpetrator could have been putting someone's life at risk.
Where the hell is society heading?

[Bushwalker99]

Hi Sundowner,
I found your pack on the Viking while walking with a group the full length of the AAWT and reported it to the police. Search and rescue phoned me a day later to tell me that it was a lost pack and thanked me for reporting it. I think they said that it was left there in September ie about 2 months earlier. i told them that they were likely to get plenty of phone calls because the AAWT was getting busy and they said that they would arrange for someone to retrieve it.
We checked the pack contents to get any clues as to who the owner might me. The pack had a tent, sleeping bags and plenty of food at that time. I think it was A US brand pack and pretty high quality.

[Bushwalker99]

Hi Sundowner,
I have included a photo we took of the pack we found.on the Viking. Is this your's?

[earthgrace]

Sundowner, sorry to hear that. Glad you were rescued and had good help. Pity about your pack. It's more than theft: it's putting someone's life in danger.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Having your pack and gear stolen out in the middle of nowhere!??
That is so wrong. The culprit should be sent to a jail in Turkmenistan for 10 ten years minimum!

[stry]

Sundowner it may be helpful to post up details of what was stolen. Photos would be nice, but most of us would recognise items from a brand and a description only.

It's a small world and one never knows what one may run across.