In a significant breakthrough, volunteer searchers have located what is believed to be a makeshift shelter used by a Belgian tourist who vanished in the rugged Tasmanian wilderness more than two years ago.
Key discoveries after two-year search
The search for Celine Cremer, who disappeared while hiking near Philosopher Falls at Cradle Mountain in June 2023, had yielded no results until last Saturday. An independent team of volunteers, including friends of Cremer's from Belgium and Tasmanian explorer Rob Parsons, discovered her Samsung phone in the dense bushland.
Just three days later, the same team located a potential shelter only 300 metres from where the phone was found. The shelter was a depression in the ground, protected by a natural dirt wall. Inside, searchers found a plastic bag with holes, which may have been used as a makeshift poncho, and a distinctive glass water bottle.
Critical evidence lines up with timeline
The glass OSSA brand water bottle is the same type used at the restaurant where Cremer worked. Crucially, its best-before date was April 2024, indicating it was not discarded recently and aligns with the period she went missing.
Tasmanian Police confirmed to 7NEWS.com.au that members of the private search party located a water bottle and garbage bag near the Philosopher Falls track. "While these items are not confirmed as belonging to Celine Cremer, they will undergo forensic testing by police," a statement read.
Police join expanded search operation
Following these discoveries, Tasmania Police have formally joined the independent search effort. Inspector Andrew Hanson said trained search and rescue officers and SES volunteers would be on the ground when weather conditions allow.
Police believe Cremer had been walking alone when she left the track to take a direct route back to her car as daylight faded. Her vehicle was later found at the Philosopher Falls carpark. Disturbingly, she was not reported missing until nine days after her solo winter bushwalk began.
Rob Parsons noted the phone was found less than 100 metres from Cremer's last known GPS location. "This proves the theory that Celine lost her phone shortly after recording her final location and provides clear direction on the path she was heading," he posted online.
A community's determined mission
The volunteer-led search, driven by a determined group of Cremer's friends and local experts, has persisted for over two years. Parsons publicly thanked his father for finding the potential shelter, signalling the deeply personal nature of the mission.
While forensic testing on the phone and the discovered items is pending, the findings mark the most promising leads in the long-running mystery. As Parsons stated, while full closure is still needed, this represents a significant step forward in understanding what happened to the missing Belgian bushwalker.
