Police launch extensive search for missing Chinderah, northern NSW Indigenous man Rodney Dodds, 79

A northern NSW Indigenous elder who went missing, sparking a frantic police search and desperate pleas from family has been found safe and well.

Chinderah man Rodney Dodds, 79, has been missing since Wednesday night. Picture: NSW Police.

**Update, 2.25pm, Friday August 30: The missing man has now been found safe and well, according to NSW Police.

The family of a northern NSW indigenous elder who went missing after “going walkabout” has issued a desperate plea to find him as police launch an extensive search.

Chinderah man Rodney Dodds, 79, has been missing since 11pm on Wednesday, where he was last seen in Walsh St, Chinderah.

Mr Dodds is described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, 165cm tall, thin build, with short grey hair.

It is believed he was wearing a short-sleeve shirt and light-coloured long pants at the time of his disappearance.

Chinderah man Rodney Dodds, 79, has been missing since Wednesday night. Picture: NSW Police.

Mr Dodds’ granddaughter Clarissa Dodds took to social media to ask the public for help in finding her beloved “pop”, saying it was a “family emergency”.

“Our pop Rodney Alexander Dodds has gone missing. He’s suffering with dementia,” she wrote on Facebook.

“Pop Rodney left his home Wednesday 28th August at night around 11pm and has gone walk about. He still has not returned home. He’s slow moving and very elderly and fragile. We hope he hasn’t gone too far.

Mr Dodd’s granddaughter took to social media with a desperate plea. Picture: Facebook.

“He’s a well known Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander man of the Tweed & Kingscliff community. If you see him, please stay with him and call myself, my family or 000 if sighted. “Please keep pop in your prayers. We need him home safe and sound.”

Both Mr Dodds’ family and police hold concerns for the grandfather due to his age.

As inquiries continue, a land search in Chinderah has been launched by local police, with the assistance of Police Rescue and SES crews.

Police are also asking anyone in the area who has CCTV to check their footage for any sightings of the missing man.

Anyone with information on Mr Dodds’ whereabouts has been urged to call Tweed Heads Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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Originally published as Police launch extensive search for missing Chinderah, northern NSW Indigenous man Rodney Dodds, 79