Tasmanian police were alerted at 7.30 pm last night that the three Melbourne year 9 students were missing from a school group in the area of Lake Gwendy of the national park.

Lake Gwendy is approx 10 km south of Lake McKenzie in the State's World Heritage Area.

"The three boys were part of a large school group visiting from Victoria who were undertaking a multi-day hike in the area,'' a police spokesman said.

The boys had become separated from their school party in fog at about 2 pm on Wednesday and efforts by the other members of the group to locate them were unsuccessful, he said.

"The school party initiated a search and when this was unsuccessful police were notified by mobile phone.''

The spokesman said the boys, from the Seventh Day Adventist Gilson College at Taylors Hill, were well equipped and camped the night and the next day. Yesterday they returned to a hut in the area where they waited for rescue.

The spokesman said the Rotorlift Westpac Rescue helicopter arrived on the scene at first light today and located the missing boys at a hut near Lake Nameless at 8 am.

"They were examined by a paramedic, reunited with the rest of the school group and continued with their walk."

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