Hobart: In a major breakthrough in one of Tasmania’s most enduring missing-person cases, authorities have confirmed the discovery of a mobile phone belonging to missing Belgian tourist Celine Cremer, nearly two and a half years after she disappeared in the rugged bushland of north-west Tasmania. The finding has prompted police to formally join a renewed search effort that had been underway this weekend.
Cremer, 31, vanished from the Philosopher Falls walking track near Waratah on June 17, 2023, during what was believed to be a short solo hike. Her white Honda CR-V was found at the trailhead about a week later, and extensive searches conducted by Tasmania Police and emergency services at the time turned up no further trace of her. Weather conditions including sub-zero temperatures, snow and heavy rain forced authorities to conclude that enduring such severe conditions would have been extremely challenging for anyone exposed for long periods.
The discovery of Cremer’s mauve-coloured Samsung phone occurred on Saturday, the first day of a privately organized search led by a group that included a private investigator, local volunteers and friends of Cremer who travelled from Belgium to assist. The device was located at a site near Cremer’s last known GPS coordinates an area that had been combed repeatedly by formal search teams in the past without success.
Tasmania Police Inspector Andrew Hanson said the phone’s location and data lend support to the working theory that Cremer may have left the marked trail in an attempt to take a more direct route back to her vehicle as daylight faded, possibly becoming disoriented amid the dense wilderness. He explained that she could have inadvertently dropped the phone while navigating and then continued on without it, a scenario the latest evidence now helps clarify.
Following the discovery, police resources have been officially committed to the ongoing search, and trained search and rescue officers and SES volunteers are expected to join the ground effort once weather conditions improve. Heavy rain, hail and even potential snow temporarily halted operations, as conditions remain hazardous in the remote terrain. When the search resumes, authorities plan to re-examine the area where the phone was found and the likely path Cremer may have taken thereafter.
The phone is undergoing forensic analysis to extract any clues that might shed light on Cremer’s final movements. Police have emphasized that, while the discovery offers a possible lead, the difficult terrain and the passage of time mean there is no guarantee of finding further evidence. The investigation continues in close cooperation with Cremer’s family, with authorities maintaining regular contact with her mother in Belgium.
For Cremer’s loved ones, the development brings a fraught mixture of cautious hope and poignant reality. While the discovery of the phone is the first physical evidence since the initial search two years ago, it also underscores the enduring mystery of her disappearance and the emotional toll on those who continue to seek answers.
The renewed search effort, blending professional and community support, represents a fresh chapter in a long and complex case that has captured public attention both in Australia and abroad.