Jay Fowler's body found

There was another camping tragedy over this Queen's Birthday long weekend, this time 50 kms south-west of Newcastle.

The winter weather doesn't stop people from wanting to go back to nature in the bush, to sit around a campfire with family and friends. The June long weekend is the last possible break we get before the next one in October.

Jay Fowler, from Tenambit in Maitland, was camping with 10 of his family and friends at McLeans Lookout in the Watagan National Park.

On Monday morning around 9 o'clock, Jay left the group and headed into the bush with some toilet paper and didn't come back.

After a frantic search, his body was found yesterday at the base of a 100 metre cliff and while police say the body has to be formally identified, they believe it to be Jay Fowler.

The family is associated with the Christian Brethren community and have already received many online messages of support. One person wrote "Our prayers are with the Fowler family and those close, God gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers."

Another said "We send much love to you all and praying for your support in your sorrow.  God's ways are beyond our feeble minds. Comforting to know we will one day know the reason for every deed in every day.  Safe with Our Lord Jesus Christ.  Very much love and prayers."

Jay's father Kevin Fowler and his wife are struggling to cope with the news.  He paid tribute to the tireless efforts of the emergency service workers who searched for two days and to the police for their understanding and sympathy.

A helicopter will be .used to retrieve the body and a report is being prepared for the Coroner.