Unidentified bones and a backpack with foreign money, clothes and food have been found in remote Tasmanian forest.

Two hikers made the grisly discovery on Sunday in Huon Valley bushland away from marked tracks, about 10km west of the popular Tahune Airwalk.

Police say the unidentified remains likely belong to a man and could have been there for more than six years.

A backpack was found nearby containing food, clothing and Swiss Francs and Hong Kong dollars with receipts for exchange in Switzerland in December 2010.

“There didn’t appear to be a tent or sleeping bag or any other equipment that would suggest he was prepared to stay overnight,” detective acting sergeant Michael Manning said.

No mobile phone or personal ID was found but paperwork in the backpack indicates he may have been staying in Western Australia, police say.

Investigators have trawled through missing person records in Australia and overseas but still don’t have any positive leads.

Sydney man John De Ornelas went missing near the Tahune Airwalk in March 2010 but Sgt Manning says police are confident the bones aren’t his.

Hikes in the Huon Valley region are graded a mixture of easy and medium.
A report is being prepared for the coroner.

-AAP