An Australian man died on Saturday night while tramping in the Mt Aspiring National Park despite the efforts of his climbing party to resuscitate him.
The 30-year-old man was in a group of nine trampers who were descending from Sisyphus Peak at about 7pm.
Wanaka police search and rescue coordinator Sergeant Aaron Nicholson says the man stumbled as they were negotiating a series of bluffs, and fell 30 to 40 metres.
He says although he was breathing when his companions reached him and began CPR, he died soon after.
Three of the group then walked for almost twelve hours before they could raise the alarm, and the police have praised their efforts.
Mr Nicholson says the group had a range of experience and the tramp could have been fairly ambitious for some of them, but that did not mean it was dangerous or impossible.
The dead man had been living in Dunedin since 2006. His partner was part of the tramping group.
Police say the man's body has been recovered, but they will not release his name until family in Australia have been contacted.
