A 25-year-old father and his two children, an eight-year-old girl and a nine-year-old boy, went for a short bushwalk on Sunday afternoon.

The 25-year-old’s partner had arranged to pick the three bushwalkers up at 5pm, but they weren’t at the meeting spot.

The partner waited a little bit longer and after failing to make contact with the three at 7pm, she contacted the emergency services.

A police rescue coordinator was called from the Lake Illawarra command to search for the family.

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A rescue helicopter, ambulance crews, 25 SES volunteers from the Wingecarribee, Wollongong, Shellharbour, Coniston and Kiama and 11 volunteers from the Rural Fire Service were also in attendance.

The family was found by the helicopter, was winched in by a parademic and walked to an ambulance to be checked at about 10.30pm on Sunday night.

Southern Highlands Police Station Inspector John Klepczarek said in general it was important for bushwalkers to be prepared.

“This search reflects the many others we have done in the past. People are often not equipped to undertake some of these bushwalks,” Inspector Klepczarek said.

“Always allow for a change in the weather and carry a mobile phone so you can call for help.”

The SES Wingecarribee Unit recommends downloading the free Emergency + mobile phone app, which provides location information to emergency call-takers in the event of an emergency.