“They bit off a bit more than they could chew”: Couple rescued while searching for unique Instagram hotspot

A significant rock outcropping on Mount Wellington (Kunanyi), in Hobart, Tasmania
By Alexandra Coulton


A couple has been rescued after losing their way while searching for Tasmania’s Disappearing Tarn, which has become a popular spot for Instagrammers.

The two were walking from The Springs to the Disappearing Tarn on Mount Wellington on Wednesday when they lost their way were forced to call for assistance, according to Tasmanian police.

The call came in at around 5:50pm as it was beginning to get dark.

Police said the man and woman’s mobile phones were running out of battery and they had not prepared for a cold night on the mountain.

Two search and rescue teams found the couple at around 9pm and had walked them to safety by 2am.

The tarn, which only appears after heavy rain, has become popular amongst tourists and Instagrammers alike for its transparent turquoise waters.


Senior constable Callum Herbert urged anyone planning a bushwalk to prepare for all conditions and said September can still have sub-zero temperatures.

He said some rescue missions could be prevented if people were better prepared.

“When walking in elevated areas, the temperature can change quickly,” Herbert said.

“The day may be warm and fine when commencing a walk, but change rapidly as weather patterns move through and light reduces.”

Police are using the incident to remind bushwalkers that mobile phone batteries will not last as long in the cold, and mobile navigation apps deplete batteries quicker than other apps.

Walkers are encouraged to carry physical maps as well as a battery bank and torches.

Herbert told ABC News the couple, who were from Kingston, near Hobart, set off on the walk at 9am that day and had only prepared for a day walk.

“At some stage during the walk they’ve became disorientated and ended up on another track, and it’s got dark and they haven’t been prepared to be walking in the darkness,” he said.

“I think they bit off a bit more than they could chew yesterday.”

Herbert said the couple would not have seen the tarn even if they had come across it.

“It hasn’t been raining heavily enough, so I think although they went to the Disappearing Tarn, it appears to have disappeared for now,” he said.

Featured image source: iStock/Matt Palmer

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