A walker missing in the Mount Roland Reserve area south-west of Sheffield has been located safe and well.

The man was located after he managed to find an area where he had phone service and contacted police.

Given his location, he had to be winched to safety.

Inspector Adam Spencer said while it was a great result, the walker had gone off track and encountered steep, dangerous terrain.

“He was well-prepared for a day walk, but found himself in trouble after travelling off track,” he said.

“It is a good reminder for walkers to always stay on defined tracks, and prepare for emergencies. Always ensure you have communicated your planned track and expected timings with a friend or family member – and never deviate from that route.”

During the search efforts, police also received an emergency alert from the Black Bluff track after a Personal Locator Beacon was accidentally activated.

Inspector Spencer said it was an unfortunate mistake, with police diverting critical resources from the Mt Roland Reserve search to attend the potential emergency at Black Bluff.

“While it was positive the second walker was not in actual distress, a PLB activation indicates an emergency, and we responded as if it were an emergency,” he said.

“This removed vital resources from another search.

“Thankfully, we had the result we did in both situations, but it is a good reminder to ensure you are storing and handling your PLB correctly.”

The Mt Roland Reserve walker was not physically injured.

Search and rescue resources are no longer at Mt Roland Reserve, and the planned Triple Top Mountain Run event scheduled to be conducted in the area on Sunday will not be impacted.