“If you have been up on top of the hill in the last two to three days, if you have been hiking in that area and you saw anybody that looked a little bit disoriented, maybe not dressed adequately for the conditions, we’d certainly be very, very keen to hear from [you],” he told reporters on Saturday.

The bodies were discovered by other hikers on Friday afternoon. Source: Supplied / Victoria Police

Hargreaves said the conditions were “exceptionally hard”, noting the weather could quickly turn “dangerous and unfavourable”.

It comes as the region’s snow season draws to a close, with Falls Creek and Mount Hotham ski resorts closing their lifts this weekend.

The Victoria Police air wing was used to help recover the bodies. Credit: Victoria Police / Supplied

The tragedy follows a separate incident in Tasmania, where police recovered a large group from a remote part of the state’s southwest.