Body found in search for German tourist

A body has been found by police searching for a missing German tourist in central NSW.

Arvid Stenzel, 19, was last seen leaving a campsite at Lake Canobolas, near Orange, in the early hours of Sunday to go for a walk.

Police believe the backpacker called in to the campsite's caretaker cottage about 3.15am, saying he was lost.

While Mr Stenzel was given directions back to the campground he didn't return.

Police divers found the body of a male in Lake Canobolas at 10.30am on Tuesday.

The body had not been formally identified but the search for Mr Stenzel had been suspended, a police spokeswoman told AAP on Tuesday afternoon.

Police, including divers, and emergency service volunteers had been searching for Mr Stenzel since Sunday afternoon, when his friends raised the alarm.

He'd been fruit picking in the Orange area since last month.

After going for a walk with fellow campers early on Sunday, Mr Stenzel told the group he felt like going for a swim about 2am.

"We all thought it was a joke because it's too cold to swim," friend Aljoscha Kraemer told the Central West Daily.

Speaking before the discovery of a body on Tuesday, Mr Kraemer said the group had been celebrating with a few drinks and music after finishing six days of work.

The group of German travellers woke on Sunday morning to find Mr Stenzel missing.

"I just feel really sad," Mr Kraemer told the newspaper.

"He's just such a nice guy, he was funny and a sportsman.

"He was the best travel mate."