Family's tribute to outback crash victim
A Victorian man who perished in New South Wales outback yesterday has been remembered as a 'good dad who loved his family'.
Bryan Gadd was travelling with two friends, all from Ballarat, when their car ran off the road in remote and unforgiving bush land, about an hour from Broken Hill, in the state's far west on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old father-of-one was found dead one kilometre from where the group's car was discovered yesterday.
His family today paid tribute to a 'great dad who loved his family'.
Police revealed today the three friends were horribly ill-equipped for the conditions they became stranded in.
Broken Hill police Superintendent Brad Hodder told Seven News reporter Brendan Roberts"It was extremely hot, although I do believe they had water with them.
"They weren't dressed appropriately, they didn't have provisions."
Miraculously, Mr Gadd's two friends, a 24-year-old woman and a 21-year-old man, managed to survive.
The trio's car crashed just outside the Mutawintji National Park, about 150 kilometres north east of Broken Hill, and the woman made a call to Triple 0.
The vehicle was located eight hours later via GPS coordinates, but by then the woman had already embarked on her 20 kilometre trek to a sheep station in Acacia Downs.
She reached safety on Wednesday morning, and later that afternoon Mr Gadd was found dead near a water tank.
The other man was discovered 15km away suffering exposure and dehydration.
"It's a major mistake to leave your motor vehicle in those types of situations. The vehicle is quite large and can be easily spotted," Superintendent Hodder added.
"Had they remained in the vehicle, they would have been located at 8pm on the Tuesday night."
The two survivors were taken to hospital suffering dehydration but were otherwise uninjured.
Police say Mr Gadd's death is not being treated as suspicious and it would now be a matter for the coroner.
