A Belgian backpacker who vanished in Tasmania’s remote north-west in 2023 died by accident after becoming lost near Philosopher Falls, a coroner has found.
Celine Cremer, 31, was last seen alive at the Waratah Roadhouse on the afternoon of June 17, 2023.
Her body was not recovered for more than two and a half years.
Coroner Madeleine Wilson found Cremer died at Arthur River sometime between June 17 and June 21, 2023.
In her findings published Friday, Wilson said the cause of death could not be determined but that it may have been hypothermia, trauma, drowning or a combination of those.
Wilson found the death was the result of “a confluence of errors” that began when Cremer took a walking track towards Magnet Dam instead of returning directly to her car.
On June 17, Cremer drove to the Philosopher Falls car park and walked the marked track to the lookout, taking photos along the way.
Instead of returning, she took a poorly defined track along an old water race towards Magnet Dam.
Wilson found Cremer wandered off that track around 3:49pm and became lost.
It was late in the day, just four days before the winter solstice, in cold and wet conditions.
“Ms Cremer had insufficient clothing to ward against the environmental conditions and was not carrying any waterproof clothing,” Wilson said.
Cremer’s Gore-Tex jacket was later found in her car.
Her phone last recorded activity at 4:18pm. She then became separated from it in dense forest, leaving her with no way to navigate or call for help.
An expert advised police that a lightly clothed person lost in those conditions would likely die of hypothermia after three to four nights.
A missing persons report was filed on June 26, 2023.
Police searches through early July were hampered by dense rainforest scrub, snow, low cloud and high river levels and initially found nothing.
Wilson said police carried out a thorough investigation, including a parallel criminal inquiry that ruled out anyone else being involved.
The case gained new momentum in December 2025 when private investigators IFW Global coordinated a structured volunteer search.
Searchers found Cremer’s water-damaged mobile phone on December 13.
On January 28 this year, independent searcher Jarrod Boys discovered human remains along the Arthur River, about 2.8 kilometres downstream from the falls.
Further police searches recovered a skull, numerous bones, clothing and Cremer’s car key over the following weeks.
The remains were spread across a 350-metre stretch of river.
Forensic anthropology, odontology and DNA testing confirmed the remains belonged to Cremer.
Dental records from Belgium were also used to confirm her identity.
Wilson found Cremer likely entered the river a short distance upstream from where her skull was found, possibly after slipping from the steep bank or while trying to cross.
She ruled out both third-party involvement and suicide.
Wilson commended the combined efforts of police, private investigators and volunteers, but warned private searches carried risks, including contaminating evidence and endangering searchers.
She recommended Tasmania Police develop formal protocols for working with private search groups and that Waratah-Wynyard Council install signs warning the Magnet Dam track is unmaintained and hazardous.
Wilson also urged walkers to carry suitable clothing, plan their route, avoid walking alone and tell someone where they are going.
“I extend my sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Ms Cremer,” she said.
