Comments on: Is the Story of Lost Bushwalker Jamie Neale A Hoax?

By: Dobbs

Dobbs — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:41:34 +0000

Lots of good points being made. So far I haven't read anything that suggests the authorities are going to even bother investigating this incident to figure out if it really was a hoax or not. I'm still waiting just to hear what seeds and plants he was eating for 12 days.

By: annedavies

annedavies — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 07:45:56 +0000

According to information from authorities in the UK, Jamie Neale has a Duke of Edinburgh award and was a very experienced hiker.

According to those who know him:
At school "he had a reputation as a resourceful young man", and "blitzed the stage of his Duke of Edinburgh award during which he learned bush survival skills and had to find his way out of Epping Forest in Essex". Although "he was lost in the forest, he made it back to safety in record time".
Apparently, he was also lost in Snowdonia, but found his way out. (I was lost in Snowdonia with three others at the age of 13 on a school trip, but we found our way out without fanfare - and we'd never been on a trek before.)

It is also said that "he had an unusually high tolerance of the cold".

Given all of the above, this smells very fishy to me. Added to which, tourists regularly "get lost" in the Australian bush or desert and are paid handsomely for their stories when found. It's not at all surprising that people are sceptical.

We watched the 60 Minutes interview. A really pathetic interview by Tara Brown. No basic questions regarding exactly how he kept warm, remained unscratched, and decided on which berries he could eat, let alone any probing questions. My feeling, more than ever, is that this was a well-planned stunt.

By: debtfree

debtfree — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 01:16:03 +0000

if he has survived in the bush for 12 days without any experience what so ever in bush survival, then it's a miracle he's alive, especially without shelter which should be the first thing you do when you get lost, then find food and water. The body can last a while without food and water, water is easily found, just dig in an old creek bed or channel. food, well lucky he wasn't sick, there's a lot of berries that are posionous, will make you ill etc. personally I'd have eaten bugs, more protein.
If this is all a hoax, then good luck to him, the newpapers and magazines are always quick to buy a good story without finding out the true facts first, but they'll be there if he's proven to be a liar, then he can sell his story again on why he lied. Why not?, if they're gullible enough then bad luck, who have they hurt in the past with stories on false accusations etc, and the people out there who are angry about it, well has he hurt you personally, no. the only people that would have been affected would be the rescurers and time wasted looking for him, waste of gov money, well the gov wastes money every day, how much has Iraq cost us so far? Good luck to ya mate.

By: margaret gant

margaret gant — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:02:34 +0000

There is no doubt in my mind that this was a complete hoax and it really has worked in his favour.

1. He looked too healthy on his return, no scratches to his face even.

2. How convenient to leave your mobile behind!

By: nattai

nattai — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 08:39:15 +0000

my quest was katoomba to mittagong without touching a walking/fire trail i pulled out on the eastern side of warragamba dam near lakesland and was cut to pieces on the undergrowth/weeds i see what youre saying

By: popesglen

popesglen — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:21:24 +0000

I saw footage of him immediately after being rescued; he wasn't wearing gloves and his hands and face were unscathed.

Having scrub bashed through lawyer vine myself in the Blue Mountains and other places, I can guarantee you that hands and face would be scratched after 12 days in Cedar Valley. Plus his clothes would be ripped. They weren't.

I have a friend up here (I live in the Blue Mountains) who knows the rescuers of Jamie Neale. They expressed these same suspicions to my friend on the day they rescued him.

Appearance does not match the claimed experience.

By: Dobbs

Dobbs — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:56:20 +0000

If he isn't scratched up that is a good point you bring up. I would assume though that he was wearing pants and a long sleeve shirt and probably even a jacket since he was hiking in the winter. This may explain the lack of scratches. His hands should be scratched as well but if he was wearing gloves that might explain that.

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:44:28 +0000

The big unexplained inconsistency in his story is his lack of scratches. He claims to have been lost for 12 days in the Cedar Creek area, south of Ruined Castle. This valley has no tracks and is thick with lawyer vine, which is notorious for cutting bushwalkers. So to get through this area would be a "bush bash"; forcing your way through the undergrowth without the benefit of the clear ground that a track provides.

This would certainly mean that anyone bush bashing through that area, even for half a day, let alone 12, would be cut on arms, legs and face. Yet this guy appeared completely unscathed when rescued.

Has anyone put this question to him? If so, what's his excuse?

He's either lying or didn't go where he claimed.

By: Dobbs

Dobbs — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:22:42 +0000

I'm not saying he made the story up but I would think it would be good to further look into the story before giving him hundreds of thousands of dollars for interviews.

By: nattai

nattai — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 10:40:12 +0000

I have no doubts in jamies story having spent a lot of time solo hiking between katoomba and the southern highlands having been under some stress at times in the bush its trully amazing what the human body can do to adapt as long as your will to survive stays strong . For my information i would would to know the tucker jamie survived on .