A volunteer searcher has found what are believed to be human remains in a remote area of northern Tasmania as part of ongoing efforts to find missing Scottsdale man Peter Willoughby.
The discovery was made today near Excalibur Road in the Eaglehawk Tier area of Underwood.
Inspector Aleena Crack said the person had been searching the area as part of a continuing public search effort to locate Willoughby, who was last seen in the Hollybank area on October 5 last year.
“Forensic testing is yet to be completed, however at this stage we can confirm the remains appear to be an adult human male,” she said.
“The volunteer contacted police immediately after the discovery and officers from the Northern District, along with specialist forensic personnel, are attending the scene.”
Willoughby’s family was told of the discovery this afternoon.
“We understand how distressing this development may be for his loved ones and while everyone involved hopes it will help to provide answers, formal forensic analysis is required before we can determine whether the remains belong to Peter,” Crack said.
The 76-year-old went missing after heading into bushland at Hollybank Reserve, north-east of Launceston, in early October last year.
He had gone out with others to retrieve his car, which had become bogged on an overgrown track days earlier.
His partner Katrina Clifford previously told the ABC he’d moved ahead of the rest of the group and eventually stopped responding to her calls.
“I was calling out to him, and for a long time he was answering me,” she said.
“But then when I stopped getting a reply when I was calling out, that was when I started to get a bit a little bit concerned.”
Police searched for Willoughby over 10 days but did not find him and the case stayed open.
This weekend’s volunteer effort was led by FOLLO – Find Our Lost Loved Ones, a newly formed group made up of people who earlier this year helped locate the remains of Belgian backpacker Celine Cremer in the state’s north-west.
Dozens of volunteers were taking part in what was set to be a three-day search through dense bush north of Launceston starting yesterday.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
