The body of Sydney teenager Lily Hooper, 18, has been found in bushland in New South Wales' Southern Highlands, ending an eight-day search after she went missing while hiking. She had set off on 12 August to walk in Nattai National Park and was reported missing that night when she failed to return home by 10pm, prompting a large-scale multi-agency operation involving police, emergency services and the military.

Hooper's car was located in a car park at the foot of a challenging trail, and her body was found at around 11:30 local time on Thursday. There was brief confusion over her fate after NSW Premier Chris Minns mistakenly told a parliamentary hearing she had been found alive, a claim also relayed to her family by local media, before he corrected himself and confirmed her death, apologising and expressing sadness for her family. The search had drawn support from NSW Police units including PolAir, the Rescue Unit, Trail Bike Unit, Mounted Unit and Dog Unit, alongside the Rural Fire Service, National Parks and Wildlife Service, and almost 100 Australian Defence Force personnel.