Authorities are focusing their efforts on new witness information as they search for a missing camper in Victoria, who has not been seen for a week. Mark, a 62-year-old man from Croydon, was last spotted on August 17 at the Frenchman’s Creek campground located within the Big River State Forest, approximately 2.5 hours north-east of Melbourne.
On the night of August 16, Mark spoke with another camper around 10.30pm, indicating he planned to hike to Woods Point the following morning. However, after he was reported missing, a significant search operation was launched, lasting for six days without success in locating him.
According to police reports, a new witness came forward claiming to have seen a man resembling Mark walking along a road just west of Frenchman’s Campsite between 8.40 am and 8.50 am on the morning he was last seen. This information has led search teams—including the Victoria Police, Search and Rescue Squad, SES volunteers, and a dog squad—to concentrate their search efforts along the Big River Road area.
During the search, authorities discovered a large striped duffel bag believed to be Mark’s, located around 8 kilometres from where he was last seen. Given the challenging weather conditions and Mark’s lack of camping gear, concerns for his safety are rising. He reportedly left behind food and water, and was only wearing a sweater, jacket, tracksuit trousers, and running shoes, which are deemed insufficient for overnight temperatures that could drop below zero.
Mark is described as a Caucasian male, standing around 183 centimetres tall with a medium build, short grey hair, and a grey beard and moustache. On the day he disappeared, he was dressed in a light grey and dark blue jumper, white tracksuit pants, a blue zip-up jacket, and black sneakers.
Police have appealed for anyone who may have helpful information regarding Mark’s whereabouts to come forward, as they continue to search the rugged terrain where he went missing.