The search for 17-year-old Pheobe Bishop, who has been missing from Queensland’s Bundaberg region for nearly two weeks, has been officially called off by police. Intensive search efforts, including land, water, and aerial operations, were conducted in the Good Night Scrub National Park, situated around 40km from Gin Gin, starting last Friday. Although some items linked to her disappearance were discovered and sent for forensic analysis, law enforcement believes that further evidence may have been removed prior to the search.
Despite the suspension of the search in the national park, police remain focused on the broader Gin Gin area as their investigation continues. They have stated that they are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry and may reinitiate searches as new information emerges. Pheobe was last seen at approximately 8:30 AM on May 15, when her housemates reportedly dropped her off near the Bundaberg Regional Airport. She had intended to fly to Western Australia to visit her boyfriend but never entered the terminal or checked in for her flight. Since that day, there have been no confirmed sightings of her or her luggage.
Authorities have also seized a grey Hyundai ix35, which belonged to Pheobe’s housemates, declaring it a crime scene. They are appealing to the public for any information or sightings of the vehicle in the greater Gin Gin area between May 15 and 18. The homicide squad is assisting with the investigation.
Pheobe is described as approximately 180cm tall, with a pale complexion, long dyed red hair, and hazel eyes. Her mother, Kylie Johnson, expressed the emotional toll of the situation, acknowledging the difficulty in finding the strength to cope. She shared, “We as a family are just trying to go through the motions of waiting for Phee to come home.”