YHA boss Julian Ledger sheltered missing backpacker Jamie Neale from the world’s media
YHA New South Wales CEO Julian Ledger sheltered English backpacker Jamie Neale from the world’s media for two weeks when he emerged from the Blue Mountains after going missing for 12 days.
Neale was staying in YHA’s Katoomba property when he disappeared on July 3, having gone on a bushwalk to the Ruined Castle. Despite an extensive land and air search – in which Ledger played a key role – he was not seen again until July 15, when he was found by two bushwalkers.
His relative well-being prompted media speculation about the accuracy of his story, but Ledger maintained there was “no doubt” he was telling the truth. He said: “Anyone who doubts he was lost needs to go themselves. It’s quite impenetrable – no-one goes there.”
Neale struck a deal for A$100,000 to tell his story on Channel 9’s 60 Minutes program and subsequently fell out with his father, Richard Cass (pictured with Neale), who alleged he had reneged on an agreement to split the fee with him. Ledger said Neale had made donations to Katoomba Hospital and the rescue services and insisted it was only right that people volunteered to find him.
He said: “We live in a civilised country and when people go missing, we go looking for them. I’d expect the same in Snowdonia or Scotland.”
Ledger, a keen orienteerer, spent several days helping the search and had assumed after the first few days that he was looking for a dead body.
After a stay in Katoomba Hospital, Neale fulfilled his obligations to Channel 9, then Ledger put him up in his own home for two weeks rather than leave him at the mercy of the world’s press.
He added: “Jamie was not well when he came out, he had lung problems and had lost a lot of weight, but Mrs Ledger soon fed him up. He was a bit over all the attention – he was a reluctant performer in the first place – and I was keen that he rest up and regroup a bit.”
YHA is ready to share the lessons it learned during the incident with other hostels, including the need to keep a registry for day walks, not just overnight stays, and to have solid procedures in place “so you know who’s in the hostel and who isn’t”. During the early days of Neale’s disappearance, it was unclear whether he was missing in the mountains, had met someone or had simply checked out, with police reluctant to launch an expensive search operation until they were sure.
Ledger said Neale had done several things to ensure his survival – he didn’t panic, he had a top with a hood for warmth, he made a waterproof shelter, waited to be rescued and, when that failed, took the initiative and walked out.
Neale, who is now back in the UK preparing to go to Exeter University, did benefit from one piece of good fortune, however. The night before he went missing, YHA Katoomba hosted a Tourism NSW Seven Days in Sydney promotion at which he claims to have eaten four of the free pizzas on offer.
By Martin Lane · August 19th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
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Comments
19 Aug 09
5:31 pm
No wonder there was no pizza left by the time we got to the YHA!
Typical of the generosity displayed by the YHA staff though, top people
22 Aug 09
7:40 pm
goes t o show why the 7 news break just announced the pommy has run out of Australia and not given a cent of the money he received from the sale o f he’s story to the services thathelped find him ,what a prick
27 Aug 09
10:46 pm
That dad is the biggest mongrel. Just a money grabber.
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