A body has been found in Tasmania near to where Belgian backpacker Celine Cremer vanished in June 2023.
Police confirmed a bushwalker on Wednesday morning located what are believed to be human remains near the Philosopher Falls area in Waratah, on the state’s west coast.
The person had been searching in that area as part of ongoing efforts to locate the 31-year-old and immediately contacted police when the discovery was made.
Forensic teams are on route and formal testing is yet to be done, however, police confirmed that a pathologist has studied images of the site and is of the opinion the remains are human.
Ms Cremer went missing after she went out for a simple one-hour return hike to the waterfalls, in the state’s north-west, about 73km south of Burnie.
Her white SUV was discovered by police in the car park at Philosopher Falls on June 27, 2023. Using mobile phone data, they determined it had been parked there since June 20.
She was an experienced hiker who had been exploring Tasmania for six months and the case had baffled police, who called off the search in early July 2023 after medical experts advised she could not have survived the harsh winter conditions.
‘There is no evidence of anything other than misadventure,’ Tasmania Police inspector Andrew Hanson previously said.
Belgian backpacker Celine Cremer did not return from an easy hike at Philosopher Falls in 2023
Ms Cremer’s car was discovered at the trailhead’s car park on June 27, 2023
Australian licensed private investigator Ken Gamble had previously taken on the case and conducted searches, pro bono, in the hope of providing answers to the backpacker’s distraught family back in Belgium.
Mr Gamble revealed he had initially suspected kidnapping or worse.
He investigated several people in the region, including a man seen near Ms Cremer on CCTV at a roadhouse before her hike and individuals with criminal records, who were all ruled out.
He said alibis were provided, there was no evidence to suggest foul play, and no other phones pinged in that area.
His company, IWF Global, has conducted four searches of the region, including at least one with a team of 25 volunteers chosen for their bushcraft and medical expertise.
His leading theory is that she simply strayed from the trail and became lost, succumbing to freezing temperatures and heavy rain in the days after she set off.
‘I cannot overemphasise enough just how treacherous the conditions are out there. It’s one of the most dangerous places I have ever searched,’ Mr Gamble previously told Daily Mail.’
He said the search efforts had been mainly focusing on her belongings, such as her car keys or phone, as experts said Tasmanian Devils lived in the area and could have scavenged her remains, leaving no trace.
More to follow.
Mr Gamble remains convinced that Ms Cremer strayed from the trail and became lost
