Rescue team may not reach missing Mount Aspiring National Park climber tonight

An alpine cliff rescue team were flown to near Mount Aspiring, where an Australian climber has gone missing. Photo / Sean Nugent, Otago Daily Times

The search and rescue helicopter looking for a missing Australian climber on Mount Aspiring may be unable to reach the location tonight due to bad weather.

A Maritime New Zealand rescue co-ordination centre spokesman said the activated beacon had moved slowly this afternoon, and was now located at Quarterdeck Pass, around 2300m above sea level on the edge of the Bonar Glacier.

The spokesman said the search party would decide before dark whether to drop the alpine cliff rescue team as near as possible to the site, where they could tramp to the climber's location, or to drop two members at Aspiring Hut to keep an eye out for a break in the weather and an opportunity to reach the man.

However, the spokesman said the weather was not looking good and the next opportunity was looking like tomorrow afternoon.

A centre spokesman said police were alerted about 8am this morning that a 28 or 29-year-old Australian male was overdue after setting out to climb Mount Aspiring on Friday.

The car of the climber, who was due back at noon yesterday, was found to be still at the carpark where he left it.

A beacon near the mountain was activated at 12.15pm today and the rescue co-ordination centre took over the search.

An Aspiring Helicopters rescue helicopter flew to Wanaka to pick up an alpine cliff rescue team, who would search for the missing man.