Friend’s last conversation with missing High Country camper Russell Hill revealed

The close friend of missing high country camper Russell Hill is convinced his mate was attacked and killed, saying he spoke without a “worry in the world” during a phone call hours before he vanished.

Russell Hill and Carol Clay's burnout campsite in the Wonnangatta Valley

A close friend of missing camper Russell Hill says his mate was “upbeat” during their last chat and he believes the experienced bushman was attacked and killed.

Bairnsdale man Rob Ashlin, who has known Mr Hill for close to three decades, is the last known person to speak to him via an amateur radio network on March 20 last year at about 6pm.

Mr Hill and close friend Carol Clay vanished without a trace sometime within the next 18 hours in Gippsland’s High Country and have not been heard from since this final call.

It is approaching the one year anniversary of the last time the pair were seen.

“He was sparkling like normal, he never had a worry in the world,” Mr Ashlin said.

“The way he was behaving was like he had done any other time up in the bush. He was upbeat during our last chat.”

Police believe foul play is the most likely scenario in the disappearance and suspect a “third-party” was involved.

Missing man Russell Hill on an earlier camping trip.

Mr Ashlin said it was uncharacteristic for Mr Hill to leave his camp unattended and believes the suspicious fire is a “decoy” to something more sinister.

“Russell would never, ever leave his vehicle,” he said.

“He’s been attacked, I believe there is more than one person involved.

“It is unbelievable if his life has ended in this manner. We are waiting on answers to get some closure.”

One line of investigation is whether the couple were killed in their sleeping bags by illegal hunters after Mr Hill's drone spotted something illegal.

During their final conversation, Mr Ashlin said his friend announced he was at Wonnangatta station and soon planned to drive to Dargo, about 70km away.

He had not been there before and asked for directions.

Mr Hill did not check in the following night, which raised alarm bells.

“We were wondering where he was,” Mr Ashlin said.

“The radio network was like a security safety net between all of us whenever we were away camping.”

Mr Hill’s wife Robyn became aware of his unusual absence from the radio network and soon reported it to police.

Russell Hill was an experienced camper along with Mr Ashlin

Something that puzzles Mr Ashlin about the mystery is why Mr Hill went camping alone in the area of the King Billy and Bluff Track between March 11 and 13 before the pair’s trip.

“He never said boo about it, it was a surprise,” he said.

“I don’t know why he went on that trip, it was only an overnight stay, and a six-hour drive each way. There is something strange about it. Robyn can’t work it out either.”

He says he fears for the worst, but hopes for the best: “We just want him found.”

The investigation is ongoing.