FAMILY BREAKS DOWN — ‘THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING’
Celine Cremer’s family said they broke down in tears when they were told the phone had been found, because for the first time in over two years, they felt there was real progress in the investigation. “If the phone is there, it means she’s still out there,” a relative said, revealing the faint but painful hope that lay just 800 meters away. Click the link in the comments below. 👇

Friends of Belgian tourist Celine Cremer missing near Tasmanian waterfall walk renew search

Celine Cremer pictured during her Australian adventure. (Facebook)

It has been two-and-a-half years since Belgian backpacker Celine Cremer disappeared off a walking trail in Tasmania’s north west.

The 31-year-old’s white Honda CRV car was found at the trail head of the Philosopher Falls bushwalk, just outside of Waratah, about a week after she was last seen, but despite multiple searches no trace of her has ever been found.

Her friends and family have never given up hope of finding something that could bring them closure.

In a renewed search, four of Ms Cremer’s friends have travelled from Belgium and have met with other volunteers to systematically search the rainforest area where she disappeared.

Friends and family ‘want an answer’

Rachel Disbechl remembered her friend as a woman with a strong and sunny personality, whose presence was keenly felt.

“I think everyone wants an answer. That’s why we are here,” Ms Disbechl said.

“But even if we [find her], she’s not there anymore.”

Another of Celine’s close friends Gabriel Remy — speaking with the help of Ms Disbechl translating — said it would be particularly difficult to leave without finding her.

“It will be awful to have to leave her here,” she said.

“I think it’s the worst thing that can happen, to go back in Belgium without anything.”

Ms Cremer was reported missing on June 26, 2023.

After Tasmania Police formally suspended search efforts on July 10, Ms Cremer’s friends contacted Ken Gamble, a private investigator.

Mr Gamble, with police assistance, will lead the renewed five-day search from Saturday.

For Mr Gamble, it will mark nearly a dozen searches he has undertaken in the hope of finding Ms Cremer’s remains.

He and the missing woman’s friends are realistic about what, if anything, they will find.

Filmmaker, audience, become involved in the search

When Youtuber Rob Parsons became aware that Celine’s friends were organising another search, he wanted to use his platform to help.

“It’s tragic on either end, finding her or not,” he said.

“There’s nobody that’s going to win in this situation, but the best thing we can hope for is to close the chapter for Celine’s family.”

But, he said, he was heartened to see the viewers of his YouTube channel engage with the tragic story.

“It’s overwhelming, definitely, to see the impact my videos have had,” he said.

“This is exactly what I envisioned when I put the call out to get some experienced bushwalkers to help with the search.”

Speaking to ABC Radio Hobart on Thursday, Mr Parsons said he believed Ms Cremer had become hypothermic and sought shelter somewhere in the dense terrain.

“It’s as complicated as a rainforest could be. You’ve got a lot of undergrowth,” he said.

“There’s very little open space.”

He said the search will be methodical, and the many hands involved will hopefully to be able cover previously unsearched areas.

One of Mr Parsons’ YouTube audience, Matt Strickland, has travelled from Indonesia to help.

“I was just compelled to come to give Rob a hand, basically,” Mr Strickland said.

The geologist, from Tasmania, said he had experience working in remote bushland.

“Hopefully we can get a result,” he said.

“That’s the best we can do. Hope that we can get a result for [Celine’s mother] Ariane.”

Waratah pulls together to feed, house search party

Waratah resident Judi Hunter said she moved to the small town just weeks before Ms Cremer disappeared.

She organised a memorial to be installed at Philosopher Falls, which led Ariane to reach out to her and the pair have remained friends.

“When they started talking about doing a December search, [Ariane] was straight on the blower to me,” she said.

Ariane recently sent Ms Hunter the money raised by Celine’s friends and family in Belgium, to be spent on food and supplies to aid in the search.

In Waratah, Ms Hunter organised for the Men’s Shed to act as the base camp, with volunteers to prepare food bought with the fundraised money or donated by organisations across the state’s north-west.

“Waratah is a very small town. They’re a very private town, a very respectful town. But, so caring,” Ms Hunter said.

“When Celine went missing, it was like a member of the community went missing.

“Belgium has lost a daughter, but Waratah has her here somewhere.”

Previous search efforts

Tasmania Police and emergency services conducted searches over several weeks after Ms Cremer’s disappearance. At the time, a cadaver dog on loan from New South Wales police, was also brought in to assist.

“While every effort was made during this latest search, sadly, Celine remains missing,” Commander Stuart Wilkinson said as the search was scaled back.

“The searchers faced extremely poor weather conditions, and every effort was made to try and locate her.”

Mr Gamble, with the permission of Ms Cremer’s mother, was able to use the missing woman’s phone data to identify an area of unsearched bushland.

But despite the fresh evidence, the searches he has conducted have also been unsuccessful.

Similarly, Mr Parsons has documented several of his own searches of the area in recent months that have not led to a fresh discovery.

Mr Gamble is leading the search party back into the wilderness in the hopes that through the combination of sheer numbers and the efforts of Ms Cremer’s loved ones, they may find something new.

Members of the public are discouraged from joining the renewed search.