Two Australian climbers who died in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park in New Zealand have been named as Stuart Jason Hollaway, 42, and Dale Amanda Thistlethwaite, 35.
The pair had been travelling and climbing in New Zealand since early   December 2015. 
The Melbourne couple were among the most experienced mountaineers in Australia and New Zealand and were honorary life members of the Melbourne University Mountaineering Club.
Both were alpine and rock climbing guides and ran a company called Vertical World Mountain Guiding.
Mr Hollaway was a member of the International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations, taught avalanche awareness courses in New Zealand and was a specialist in ice-climbing. Mr Hollaway taught at Wesley College.
It took four rescuers over two hours to recover the bodies of the two climbers from the bottom of a steep face on the eastern slopes of Mount Silberhorn on Friday.
The couple had been missing since   December 28, when they were heard from in a radio call.
Inquiries indicated that the pair fell from near the top of the mountain early on   December 29.
The rescue team had to wait until late in the day on Friday to minimise the risk from melting ice.
"There is always an element of danger when operating below a helicopter in precarious conditions, but these guys train pretty hard and they do a lot of good work in minimising the risk and it's paid off," Mid-South Canterbury area Commander Inspector Dave Gaskin said.
"The major difficulty was the amount of debris that was floating off the mountain," he said. The matter will now be referred to the coroner.
Commander Inspector Gaskin said it was clear that they had fallen "a considerable distance".
"They've fallen very close to the place they were camping. They were roped together, so one of them's come to grief and the other one has fallen with them."
Commander Inspector Gaskin said it was a "typical accident" for high-altitude climbs, where the margin of error was very small.
"It's sad ... The climbing community will be dismayed that this has happened."
New Zealand Mountain Guides Association vice-president Jane Morris said Mr Hollaway would regularly take time out to share adventures with Ms Thistlethwaite.
"The care for her wellbeing in and out of the mountains was impeccable," she said. "The guiding community is one large extended family and many of us will miss our mountain brother with his welcoming hug and quick humour."
She said Mr Hollaway was an outstanding guide and made sound decisions in the mountains.
"His enthusiasm for coaching and mentoring younger climbers has long been appreciated by the Melbourne University Mountaineering Club and more recently he had begun assisting in the training process of new guides within the NZ Mountain Guides Association."
Victorian Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings released a statement offering condolences to the friends and families of the couple.
"All Victorians are thinking of their families and love ones at this difficult time," Mr Jennings said.
"We understand the Department of Foreign Affairs are providing assistance to the families."