Disappearance of Celine Cremer

Celine Cremer (June 13, 1992 - c. June 2023)[1] was a Belgian hiker that went missing in the Tasmanian bush near Cradle Mountain in June 2023. More than two years after police searches officially ended, a private search party formed in a joint effort between Cremer's family and YouTuber Rob Parsons discovered Cremer's cell phone, which led to other items believed to belong to her. A volunteer searcher found human remains believed to be that of Cremer on January 28, 2026; additional remains and Cremer's car keys were found by police the following week in the Arthur River. The remains were provisionally identified as Cremer's on 27 February 2026.

Background and disappearance

Cremer had been living in Tasmania for six months, intending to relocate to Victoria the same week she disappeared.[2] She was last seen on June 17, 2023, in Waratah, Tasmania. The initial search for her ended on July 10, 2023,[3] after experts determined she could not have survived the inclement weather.[4] Her white Honda CR-V[5] was found near a trailhead at Philosopher's Falls, a densely forested area around a river,[6] on June 27, 2023 and determined to have been there since June 20.[7] After the search was initially called off, one of Cremer's friends flew in from Belgium and joined the police with a cadaver dog for an additional search. It was again suspended when the dog picked up no trace of Cremer.[8] The search was extensive, involving professional search and rescue teams, drones, and helicopters.[2]

Private search party

Over the subsequent 18 months, Cremer's family organized a private search party. A YouTube filmmaker and amateur wilderness prospector, Rob Parsons, became interested in the case in 2024, and began conducting his own searches for her remains. After obtaining Cremer's cell phone data from the family's private investigator, Ken Gamble, he posted a video about Cremer's case and his plans to search for her on YouTube, which amassed nearly a million views.[9] The video included an analysis of the data.[10] The video spurred interest from the public to assist in the search for Cremer's remains. Parsons worked with Cremer's family to organize a large search to take place over several days of December 2025.[9]

Parsons centered his searches around retracing her possible steps based on her cell phone data,[11] which led him to the belief that she had dropped her phone at its last GPS point while attempting to find a direct route back to her car off trail. Her phone was discovered during the December search less than 100 metres (330 ft) from its final data point.[12] In the days following the discovery of her cell phone, a poncho made from a black trash bag and a glass water bottle were discovered 300 metres (980 ft) away from the phone[13] on a route back toward her vehicle.[14] The water bottle was a brand sold by the restaurant she worked at, and the expiration date made the period it had been sold likely the week Cremer disappeared.[15] Searches were paused while they waited for forensic testing of the items. However, some volunteers, including Parsons,[16] continued searching on their own.[17] Parsons focused on an area around a pair of footprints along the bank of the river that had been found during a 2023 search, originally disregarded due to their remote location.[16]

On January 28, 2026, a bushwalker discovered human remains believed to that of Cremer.[18] Jarrod Boys, who discovered the remains, was one of the volunteer search members that had continued the search.[19] The police said there were no other reports of missing people in the area.[20] On 8 February 2026, Tasmania Police found Cremer's cars keys and more bones in the Arthur River.[21] On 27 February 2026, the remains were provisionally identified as Cremer. Tasmania Police Commander Nathan Johnston said that experts had provided "compelling evidence" that the remains were that of Cremer, expressed condolences to her family and friends, and thanked volunteer searchers for their efforts.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ Bird, Isabel (11 June 2024). "'We don't want Celine to be forgotten': Missing Belgian's friend seeks help". The Examiner. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  2. ^ a b Morgan, Cassandra; Nsenduluka, Mibenge; Crowe, Alex (29 June 2023). "Missing Belgian woman feared dead in Tasmanian bush". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  3. ^ "Human remains found in search for Belgian backpacker missing in Tasmanian wilderness since 2023". The Guardian. Associated Press. 28 January 2026. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  4. ^ "Conditions 'not survivable' in Tasmanian wilderness where Belgian tourist Celine Cremer is missing, police say". The Guardian. Associated Press. 29 June 2023. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  5. ^ "'Help us find her': Sister's plea as police locate car of missing Belgian tourist". ABC News. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  6. ^ Czachor, Emily Mae (16 December 2025). "Woman's phone found over 2 years after she disappeared in Australian wilderness". CBS News. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  7. ^ "Search for missing Belgian tourist in Tasmanian wilderness suspended". ABC News. 10 July 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  8. ^ "Belgian friend of missing tourist Celine Cremer visits search area with police". ABC News. 31 July 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  9. ^ a b "'I just had a feeling': A filmmaker's role in the search for missing Belgian tourist Celine Cremer". ABC News. 24 January 2026. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  10. ^ "'We've changed our theory': What recent discoveries say about Celine's last location". ABC News. 18 December 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  11. ^ "YouTuber retraces last GPS points of missing Belgian tourist". ABC listen. 22 September 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  12. ^ Hinchliffe, Joe (14 December 2025). "Police join search for Belgian tourist after phone found in Tasmanian wilderness two years since she went missing". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  13. ^ "Is the mystery of missing tourist Celine Cremer at an end?". ABC News. 28 January 2026. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  14. ^ "'Potential shelter' found in bushland search for Celine Cremer". ABC News. 16 December 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  15. ^ "Searchers hope Celine Cremer's phone may reveal new clues". ABC News. 17 December 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  16. ^ a b Breaden, Lucy (20 January 2026). "Search continuing for Celine Cremer despite wait for drink bottle DNA results". ABC listen. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  17. ^ "Is the mystery of missing tourist Celine Cremer at an end?". ABC News. 28 January 2026. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  18. ^ "Human remains found in search for Belgian backpacker missing in Tasmanian wilderness since 2023". The Guardian. Associated Press. 28 January 2026. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  19. ^ "'I went into shock': Celine Cremer searcher on finding human remains". ABC News. 28 January 2026. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  20. ^ Hedgman, Andrew (28 January 2026). "Human remains found near Philosopher Falls in Tasmania amid search for missing Belgian backpacker Celine Cremer". The Australian.
  21. ^ Dunlevie, James (10 February 2026). "Celine Cremer's car key, more bones found in riverbed search". ABC News. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  22. ^ Lam, Lana (26 February 2026). "Celine Cremer: Remains found in Tasmania most likely belong to missing Belgian backpacker". BBC. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
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