Missing hikers found after full-scale search at Mt Buffalo in Victoria

Their loved ones were sick with worry but a couple missing in thick bushland in Victoria for four days described it all as “serenity”.

A Melbourne couple missing for four days in thick bushland in Victoria’s alpine region has described the whole saga as “lovely”.

Trevor Salvado, 60, and Jacinta Bohan, 58, were found by a kayaker just after 11am at Buffalo River. They disappeared after hiking at Mount Buffalo on Friday.

After being reunited with their worried family, the couple was taken to hospital as a precaution and then spoke to media outside this afternoon.

Despite being lost and enduring frosty overnight conditions, Mr Salvado said the past four days had been “serenity”.

“It was lovely,” he told a bemused press pack, saying he and his wife — who are experienced hikers — were confident they would be fine.

“We were sensible. We kept calm and rational. That’s what helped us out.

“We knew we weren’t far away from people and help but we had about a 250-foot drop in front of us. It took a few days to work out if we could get down there and then decide, yep, we’ll walk out.”

Ms Bohan said they could hear the sound of people in the distance yesterday — a speed boat and a helicopter — and knew that help was near.

“We knew that people were probably really worried that we’re injured and yet we weren’t. It wasn’t great but we were comfortable.”

MISSING HIKERS FOUND: Trevor and Cindy are out of hospital with a clean bill of health after going missing for 4 nights on Mount Buffalo. What an incredible story of survival #7newsmelb pic.twitter.com/asMG1CuSjr

— Teegan Dolling (@tdolling) March 12, 2019

They were rescued about 9km from where they parked their car on Friday morning.

Earlier today, Mr Salvado was filmed smiling as he walked out of an ambulance. His wife was wheeled out on a stretcher behind him.

The couple were doing “amazingly very well”, Ms Bohan’s sister Maria told ABC Radio Melbourne.

Police and SES crews scour rugged terrain in Mount Buffalo as they search for missing Melbourne couple, Trevor Salvado and Jacinta Bohan. Picture: Sarah Matray

The discovery today comes after emergency agencies significantly expanded the search for the experienced hikers, with a team of 150 searchers involving CFA, police, SES, bush search and rescue crews, and dogs.

Victorian Bush Search and Rescue spokesman Peter Campbell earlier today said teams were revisiting parts of the rugged terrain and venturing further out in case the duo wandered off a track.

“The search area’s expanded significantly,” Mr Campbell told ABC radio.

“There’s a lot of rock features up here. There’s some very pleasant day walks and some easy tracks but there’s some more difficult tracks as well.

“There’s also large boulder complexes, which can be quite hard to see into from above, so we’ve got teams going in to search paths around there.”

Mr Campbell said the weather was mild and good for searching, after some rain on Monday.

Essendon couple Trevor Salvado and Jacinda Bohan were missing for four days. Picture: AAP

Yesterday, relatives of the couple made an emotional plea for their return as rescue efforts ramped up.

The couple spent four nights in frosty conditions, with the temperature dropping to five degrees on Monday morning.

Officers on horseback and foot plus a police helicopter were looking for the experienced hikers. The search effort doubled in size on Monday, with more than 100 search and rescue personnel working their way through the rugged terrain.

Inspector Joy Arbuthnot said the Essendon couple was due to meet friends for an annual long weekend getaway and were last seen at a caravan park in Bright in their Skoda car on Friday.

They were due back from a bushwalk at Reservoir Track, on Mount Buffalo, around midday but did not return. Their car has since been found.

Difficult terrain was making it hard for crews to make their way through the search area and aircrews were searching day and night, Insp Arbuthnot said yesterday.

“(The couple has) been coming to this area for a long time, they are familiar with the conditions here and know the area quite well,” she said. “We are still treating it as a missing person case.”

Nathan Salvado, 21 and his aunty, sister to Jacinta, Maria Bohan, speak to media. Picture: Sarah Matray

Helicopters joined the search at the weekend. Picture: Sarah Matray

On Monday the couple’s son Nathan said he last spoke to his parents on Wednesday or Thursday and they told him they’d be gone for a few days.

“Come home please. I miss you,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the search on Monday.

“We’re looking for you. We’re trying the best we can.”

The couple’s other children, Isaac, 23, and Rachel, 19, have gathered at the search post waiting for news.

Ms Bohan’s sister, Maria Bohan, said the pair’s large extended family had come together to support each other during a difficult time.

“We’ve been getting loads of messages and good old-fashioned prayers,” Ms Bohan said.

“We’ve got a big team behind us, and we can’t speak more highly of the police.”

Trevor Salvado and Jacinda Bohan are experienced hikers familiar with the area, police say. Picture: AAP

Police and SES crews scour rugged terrain in Mount Buffalo as they search for missing Melbourne couple, Trevor Salvado and Jacinta Bohan. Picture: Sarah Matray

Speaking earlier, police Sergeant Martin Torpey shared a theory about what might have happened to the hikers.

“It’s quite treacherous and there are some ravines with a steep drop,” he told the Herald Sun.

“We think one may have fell and the other has gone down to help them. It’s rare that two would go missing.”