Fears for missing minister

Fears for Mr Holding grew last night after about 80 rescuers battling heavy fog, rain, snow and eventually darkness failed to find any trace of him.

The rescuers, who include specialist alpine volunteers, police, army personnel and SES workers, all camped on the mountain last night.

After heavy cloud grounded a search helicopter for most of yesterday, rescuers were hoping for a break in the weather.

Police said the two main concerns for Mr Holding a fit, experienced hiker who has walked the Kokoda Track and run marathons were the weather and the possibility that he was injured. The temperature was expected to drop to minus 6 degrees last night, with more snow predicted this morning.

Mr Holding's family, who joined search co-ordinators yesterday at Bright, 300 kilometres north-east of Melbourne, released a statement expressing "extreme confidence" that he would emerge unscathed.

"Tim is the strongest person we know, emotionally and physically," the statement said.

"We are grateful to everyone who is involved in the search in these difficult conditions."

Earlier, Premier John Brumby revealed that Mr Holding's father had received a weak telephone signal from his son at 10.30pm on Sunday. "The area concerned . . . has got poor reception and conditions were very bad," Mr Brumby said.

As yesterday passed without any word on Mr Holding, the Premier's initial optimism that his 37-year-old Water and Tourism Minister would "walk out" turned to increasing concern and anxiety.

"In Tim's favour he's a very fit young man," Mr Brumby said. "He runs marathons, he does a lot of walking he knows the area well. But nevertheless he's been missing now for some time."

Chief Commissioner Simon Overland said: "We never want to see people in this situation, but if anyone is to be in a situation like this, it's Tim Holding."

At 1922 metres, Feathertop is Victoria's second-highest peak and one of the most alluring and dangerous for adventurers, particularly in winter.

Mr Holding set out alone to tackle the peak on Saturday afternoon. At 6.30pm he sent a text message to his partner, Herald Sun journalist Ellen Whinnett, saying he had arrived at Federation Hut, about 200 metres below the summit.

He set out on the final ascent the following morning, telling other walkers he would return if the conditions were bad. "He said, 'I'm just going to see what the snow's like. If it's too bad I'll come straight back'," bushwalker Ray Kennedy told The Age.

Mr Kennedy's party had been impressed when Mr Holding arrived at the hut, introduced himself as Tim and said he had walked up the mountain from Harrietville in just three hours.

Mr Holding had planned to sleep in his tent outside the hut, but was unable to get the pegs to stay in the ground, Mr Kennedy said. Instead he spent the night inside after cooking a freeze-dried meal for dinner on his portable camp stove.

He was last seen about 8.30am on Sunday slipping on the icy terrain as he headed for the summit. Other walkers offered him help but he declined.

Police say Mr Holding was well equipped, although he carried no emergency beacon. He was wearing dark blue water-resistant Gore-Tex material and had a pack with a sleeping bag, as well as his tent.

But Mr Kennedy said Mr Holding was not carrying snowshoes or an ice pick, and he believed he did not make it to the peak, as there were no footprints in the snow when his group walked there.

Police expressed frustration at their inability to locate the minister. "Mr Holding has a mobile phone. We've been trying everything possible for a phone triangulation; nothing's working at the moment," said Victoria Police search and rescue Sergeant Vic Velthuis.

"We've currently got some Telstra technicians who'll be going up Stony Creek to try and get some directional finding equipment in there and that may give us a little bit of a better indication."

Mr Holding's car was found at the entrance to Bungalow Spur track. The track, even at the beginning, is wet, rocky and slippery. An information sign warns hikers to walk in groups of at least four "for safety".

Transport Minister Lynne Kosky arrived in Bright yesterday to lend support.

In Melbourne, Opposition leader Ted Baillieu said his prayers were with Mr Holding and his family. --