Aaron Clear: Lake Macquarie police renew appeal for information about missing person

Police believe someone knows what has happened to missing Lake Macquarie man Aaron Clear. Today, along with Mr Clear’s family, they have made a heartfelt plea.

It was almost three years ago when Aaron Clear threw his backpack over his shoulder and wandered back into his alternative lifestyle where he preferred a makeshift camp over four walls and a bed.

That day – Boxing Day in 2019 – remains the last time his loving family saw him and, but for a confirmed sighting by police four months later, the 45-year-old appears to have vanished without a trace.

And although Mr Clear may have gone weeks without contacting his family in the past, the fact that he has missed the recent passing of his father, Bill, and is weeks away from missing the birth of his first grandchild, fears for his safety have continued to grow.

His worried mother, Kerry, and three of his sisters joined senior police on Monday to renew calls for information into what happened to the Lake Macquarie man.

The last confirmed sighting of Aaron Clear (pictured) was at Belmont.

“Any disappearance is naturally suspicious,” Lake Macquarie police district crime manager Det Ch Insp Scott Parker told a press conference at Belmont police station.

“It‘s very unusual for people that have a friendship and a social circle, wherever they may be, to not make contact and Aaron was a loving son to his family.

“He was in contact with his family very regularly, and that naturally causes us concern and naturally it is suspicious.”

Det Ch Insp Parker said the investigation into Mr Clear’s disappearance had been hampered by his “itinerant” lifestyle and that of his inner-circle of friends and acquaintances.

And significant searches of bushland where Mr Clear would frequent had failed to uncover any evidence.

“We‘re very open and honest that Aaron had led an itinerant lifestyle – very nomadic,” Det Ch Insp Parker said.

“He had some adversity with law enforcement primarily due to vices, some alcohol use and drug use.

“A number of Aaron‘s friends, and in that close friendship group probably, had very similar vices and whether their reluctance to speak with law enforcement and others who are trying to get to the bottom of this is due to that adverse history or otherwise, we don’t know.

“But you know, there‘s a time for everyone [and] if anyone has anything, they need to man up and be open and forthright with investigators.

“And there‘s a beautiful family here today that need some resolution.”

Missing man Aaron Clear's mother Kerry with daughters (from left) Jennifer, Rebecca and Cassandra during an appeal for information at Belmont police station. Picture: Dan Proudman.

That included Mr Clear’s mother Kerry, who told reporters she did not want to think about, or even say, what she thought may have happened to her son.

But she fought through tears to send a message to anyone who has any information.

“Every day I‘ve got my phone with a family picture [as a screen saver],” she said.

“So I turn it on every day [and] so every day I‘m feeling like this. It’s just the not knowing.”

She would later add: “If it‘s one mother to another or one person to another, just let us know what’s happened.

“I would probably be angry if somebody knows something and hasn’t [told us] but at least tell us.”

Sister Cassandra said she last saw her brother walking down a street with a backpack on Boxing Day 2019.

Family had spoken to Mr Clear afterwards, and there was the confirmed sighting by police in March 2020, but they had not heard from her brother since.

Aaron Clear.

“He would always come back for family, it meant so much to him,” Cassandra said.

“It‘s really strange. Like, he wasn’t in our life every day, but he was always there and he would always come back and get Christmas presents.

“And he‘d always turn up on his birthday.

“But [there have been] a lot of milestones. And, as I said, other family things have happened over the time and he just hasn‘t been in touch which is really strange.

“Really, really strange.”

Det Ch Insp Parker said Mr Clear, who would now be aged 47, was known to “camp rough and sleep rough” in areas including bushland in Belmont North.

He also had “an affinity” with Morisset, Bonnells Bay, Newcastle and Cessnock.

At the time of his disappearance, he didn‘t have a driver’s licence, and was primarily on foot when he would move through towns in his “friendship circle”.

“Should Aaron be out there and seeing this today – we understand that you had an affinity and a joy of sleeping rough and being your own person and would move in and around Newcastle and surrounds and interstate,” Ch Insp Parker said.

“If you are there, you‘re not in strife. Please contact your family and police.”

He later added: “Our appeal today is to provide some solace and some certainty.

“His beautiful family … share an obvious pain in not knowing.”

Information should be forwarded to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.