Body believed to be missing 18-year-old bushwalker Lily Hooper found | ABC NEWS

NSW Police have confirmed the body of a woman believed to be missing bushwalker Lily Hooper has been found, contrary to earlier reports she was found alive, after an eight-day search in the NSW Southern Highlands.

The body was located in bushland about 11.30am today.

NSW Police said that while the body was yet to be formally identified, it was believed to be that of the missing 18-year-old.

Ms Hooper left her home south-west of Sydney on the morning of Wednesday, August 12, to go hiking in the Nattai National Park.

Her car was later found near the Bonnum Pic Walking Trail, sparking a large-scale multi-agency search involving almost 100 Australian Defence Force personnel and 280 NSW SES volunteers.

Crew scoured steep drops, dense undergrowth and complex cliff lines.

NSW Police have used a thermal-imaging helicopter and examined telecommunications data in an effort to trace Ms Hooper's last movements.

Ms Hooper's family have been stationed at the search command point since she went missing.

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