Victorian police searching for the bodies of missing campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay have found human remains in bushland near Dargo.

The remains are yet to be formally identified, a process police say could take some time.

Mr Hill, from Drouin, and Ms Clay, from Pakenham, vanished from the Wonnangatta Valley in the state’s High Country in March last year before their campsite, damaged by fire, was discovered by others.

A 55-year-old airline pilot from Caroline Springs, Greg Lynn, has been charged over their alleged murders.

Rob Ashlin, a good friend of Mr Hill and the last person he spoke to on radio before going missing, said he hoped the remains would bring some closure to the families.

“It’s been a long, hard 20 months of putting a huge effort in to try and get them down and to get some results would be great,” he told The Age.

“You’ve got to move on but I want to see them identified and proven that it’s them and get closure for the family. That’s what it’s all about.”

Mr Ashlin, who had previously camped at the spot where the pair’s burnt-out campsite was found, said his last conversation with Mr Hill still played on his mind.

It was an unwritten rule that whoever was camping out in the bush would reach out by high-frequency amateur radio to check in about 6pm in the evening.

That night, Mr Ashlin said Mr Hill had contacted him to get directions to find a camping spot in the upper Dargo River area.

“Everything was rosy, he was camping, doing what we all do in the bush. I didn’t have any worry in the world for him when I finished talking to him.”

Mr Ashlin said his friend’s alleged murder had sent a shock through his system and made him question the safety of camping in the bush.

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