By Luke Costin and Jack Gramenz

A camera belonging to a hiker missing for 12 days in the rugged Australian Alps has been found as police remain hopeful he’s still alive.

Hadi Nazari, 23, has not been seen since he began descending the challenging Hannels Spur track in the Kosciuszko National Park about 2.30pm on Boxing Day.

He had set out with a small water bottle, tent, sleeping bag and his camera but failed to meet up with friends at the Geehi campground.

As the search approaches a third week, police revealed they found Mr Nazari’s camera, camera case and a campfire area on Sunday.

The search has intensified in the region where the items were found, the first sign of Mr Nazari since rubbish and hiking poles were discovered on New Year’s Eve.

“We’re very hopeful (he’s still alive) and we’ll continue the search until we’re very comfortable that we’ve done everything that we possibly can,” Superintendent Andrew Spliet told reporters at Geehi on Tuesday.

“He’s got access to water, that’s the reason we’re still out here.”

The poles were found about four kilometres from Geehi campground along a creek, but the latest discovery was made some distance away over a mountain spur, Supt Spliet said.

Analysis of the fire is ongoing to determine when it was lit.

“He’s obviously moving around, no doubt, trying to get where his bearings are, and so forth,” Supt Spliet said.

“He’s got a history of hiking around the place, so he is aware of these surrounds, and he has got some capability to protect himself from the elements.”

More than 300 people have been involved in the search including friends and family.

The search has also involved the state’s National Parks and Wildlife Service as well as volunteers, battling heat and humidity in the rugged terrain in a bid to find Mr Nazari.

Efforts have included specially trained searchers camping overnight and other experts being winched in by aircraft to more quickly access hard-to-reach parts of the park.

Steep terrain, mixed with thick bushland and growth, was making for an uncomfortable search but everyone remained supportive, actively engaged and upbeat, police said.

The Hannels Spur trail, with its 1800m elevation change, is regarded as one of Australia’s most difficult bushwalking routes.

It was once a training ground for Australian mountaineers and takes a similar path to that of Polish explorer Pawel Strzelecki when he became the first European to climb and name Kosciusko in 1840.