Climbers fall to death in NZ Southern Alps

Attempts had been made to contact the family of the climbers, who were from overseas.

Mr Hollaway, a school teacher at Melbourne’s Wesley College, was an internationally qualified guide with the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations and had recently started training new guides in the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association.

They were also active in the Melbourne University Mountaineering Club and Mr Holloway specialised in ice-climbing. “Dale and Stu you will be sorely missed”.

Two Australians have been killed climbing a mountain inNew Zealand’s Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park, authorities have said.

NZMGA vice president Jane Morris said Hollaway would regularly take time out to share adventures with Thistlethwaite.

The pair, who police described as “experienced and capable” mountaineers were last heard from in a radio call on December 28.

The recovery was carried out once it was deemed safe for rescue personnel to enter the area where the bodies were lying, police said.

The deaths have been referred to the coroner.

They are the second and third Melbourne residents to die on a mountain in Mt Cook National Park in under two weeks.

It is understood they fell close to where they had been camping and were roped together.

Recovery was not possible at present due to the amount of debris, rock and ice falling off the mountain, but would likely happen later this afternoon.

A helicopter rushed Nicola Anne Andrews to a hostpial but she died from her injuries.