Less than a fortnight ago Tanja Ludwig walked along the pathway in the rainforest under Robertson Lookout, musing at the beauty of her favourite place.
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She told her companion Jenae Johnston she loved to share the beauty with her German friends when they visited.
"She shared how much her daughter loved the trees and how she ran along the pathway enjoying it so much," Mrs Johnston told the Mercury.
"She told me of the new trails they had explored together and the big tree she found."
News of Tanja and her two-year-old daughter's deaths at Mt Keira below a lookout on Tuesday afternoon left Mrs Johnston overwhelmed with sadness and shock.
"I can't even imagine," the founder of Bushwalk the Gong said.
"She was just so bloody lovely. She loved that place so much.
"She attended many of the meditation events we held in the rainforest.
"Her last conversation with me, less than a fortnight ago, we walked along the pathway together.
"She just loved this place and was always so thankful for the experience of being in nature, meditating and staring up into the tree canopy."
Police had the devastating task of notifying family members in Australia and Germany on Wednesday that Ms Ludwig and her daughter had died.
I could never of expected to see your name in print today. I could never of expected that you would lose your life in a place you loved so much. I just never knew...
Her close family in Wollongong was too devastated to talk about the Coniston woman who had recently separated from her partner.
Police returned to the scene at first light on Wednesday to continue investigations into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
At this stage it is being treated as a potential murder-suicide.
As Police Rescue Squad members used abseiling equipment to reach the site where the mother and daughter died, community members laid flowers in honour of the lives lost.
One woman who placed a bunch of flowers on the road told reporters at the scene she was "just a mum".
Ms Johnston left a tribute post on the bushwalking group's Facebook page in honour of their lost friend.
"She was thankful that she could come to this place to feel so relaxed and restored," Ms Johnston said.
"I could never of expected to see your name in print today. I could never of expected that you would lose your life in a place you loved so much. I just never knew..."
"I looked through my photos this afternoon of you in one of your favourite places in the rainforest.
"Eyes closed in meditation, palms in prayer position in thanks and gratitude.
"I will always remember you in peace Tanja, peace in your favourite place."
For support call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511.
