Police continue search for 31-year-old Mullumbimby man Gage Wilson as family speaks out

The distressed family of a “kind-hearted” man missing for ten days are looking for answers over what they have called a “vanishing”, but have slammed speculation it was a case of Byron Bay misadventure.

Gage Wilson, 31, of Mullumbimby, has been missing since May 18. Picture: Facebook/Can you help us find Gage

The distressed family of a “kind-hearted” man missing for ten days are looking for answers over what they have called a “vanishing”, but have slammed speculation it was a case of Byron Bay misadventure.

Police are scrambling to find Gage Wilson, 31, of Mullumbimby, after his car was found abandoned and smashed into a tree on Koonyum Range Road, Wilsons Creek.

He was last seen on Hakea Court, Mullumbimby about 5am on May 18.

When Mr Wilson could no longer be contacted or located, officers attached to the Tweed/Byron Police District began inquiries into his whereabouts.

A renewed search of the Wilsons Creek area was conducted on Monday and continued on Tuesday.

The tree Mr Wilson crashed into. Picture: Facebook/Can you help us find Gage

Mr Wilson, who is on the autism spectrum, is described as being of caucasian appearance, 183cm tall with short brown hair and has a star tattoos on his arm and a triangle tattoo on his wrist.

Mr Wilson’s cousin Elizabeth Kovacs, 22, has flown to Byron from regional NSW to help find him. She described him as “kind-hearted” and “well-known”.

Mr Wilson’s family are concerned about his welfare. Picture: Supplied.

Ms Kovac expressed concern over a number of Facebook posts saying her cousin had gone missing in a simple case of misadventure, typical of the Byron Bay area.

“We are worried people perceive Byron as a party area and aren’t seeing the human behind this (plea) that we’re desperately trying to find,” she said.

When police issued a missing person alert, Ms Kovacs said Facebook users “assumed he was on drugs”, with one person allegedly commenting: “He looks like he is on drugs, deserves what he got.”

“He wasn’t into drugs or alcohol he was in Byron for the nature,” she said.

Police initially did a two-day search with SES rescue crews and a QLD Police Polair helicopter which was called off before officers relaunched the search on Monday.

Gage Wilson with his sister Niki and their grandmother Marie. Picture: Supplied by Elizabeth Kovacs

Officers told the family it’s believed Mr Wilson may be in dense bushland and in a shock development were told search dogs trained to find human remains were deployed.

“This isn’t a great thing for the family to be told, that that’s what they could be looking for,” she said.

“He just vanished,” Ms Kovacs said. “There was a car crash, we don’t know if he was hurt or if he has gone somewhere to get out of the weather.”

“He loves the outdoors, you just want to hang around him all the time which is why it’s hard he is gone,” she said.

“He has three little nieces, with a fourth one on the way, who he takes on trips.

“He has never been missing before.”

Mr Wilson has never been missing before. Picture: Supplied.

There is a Facebook page called Can You Help Us Find Gage.

A GoFundMe has been set up by Mr Wilson’s family and friends.

To date, almost $2000 has been raised in two days with a target of $5000 to help find Mr Wilson.

Police are urging residents in the local area to check their properties for any signs of him.

Know more? Call police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.