Missing Gold Coast camper Lachlan Symonds found dead, police confirm

The body of a camper who has been missing for more than a week has been found, police say.

Update March 16: The body of a Gold Coast camper who has been missing for more than a week has been found, police say.

Lachlan Symonds was reported missing on March 7 after he could not be found at his campsite in Coomera.

He had asked his mother over the phone for supplies at 4pm on the day he went missing.

When she arrived her son was nowhere to be seen but his camping gear was still at the location.

In a statement, police said the man’s body had been found.

A cause of death has not been determined.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

March 15:

Members of the public have told police they spotted a camper who went missing on the Gold Coast over a week ago.

Queensland Police have renewed their appeal for information to help locate Lachlan Symonds, who was reported missing on March 7.

Police have been told people saw a man resembling the 23-year-old walking south on Creek Road and east on Yawalpah Road between 7pm and 8pm on March 7.

Symonds was last seen before being reported missing at a campsite off Colman Road in Coomera.

He had asked his mother over the phone for supplies at 4pm on the day he went missing.

When she arrived her son was nowhere to be seen but his camping gear was still at the location.

Police urge Symonds, or anyone with information regarding his location, to contact police.

March 14:

Family and friends of a camper missing – last seen covered in branch scratches and a with a deep forehead cut – say police aren’t doing enough to find the 23-year-old man.

The search for Gold Coast man Lachlan Symonds has moved into its second week after he went missing at a Coomera campsite on March 7.

A Facebook post by On Scene News Australia detailed Mr Symonds had made a call to his mother at 4pm on March 7 to ask her to drop off some more supplies.

When she arrived he wasn’t there.

Mr Symonds was days into a camping trip and all of his camping gear, including his tent, was still at the campsite off Colman Road.

The Facebook post said Queensland Police were notified and initially they dispatched PolAir but couldn’t spot him.

Queensland Police released a missing persons appeal.

Mr Symonds’ family and close friends have expressed serious concerns for his welfare as his disappearance was out of character and he has a medical condition.

The family described Mr Symonds as being “covered in scratches from branches” over his body, arms, legs and face. 

They said he had a four to five inch deep, horizontal graze across his forehead and was wearing only boardshorts when he was last seen. 

One of Mr Symonds best mates, Brendon Hawley told On Scene News Australia his friend was a “very experienced outdoorsman and hunter” and the disappearance was “totally out of character”.

He said not enough was being done by police to search for his friend.

“They (police) believe he is just having an extended camping trip,” he said. 

“On Monday the police had four officers that attended to make further inquiries and to ask questions in relation to Lachlan and his camping trip. They also had PolAir doing a few flyovers above the campsite that day. 

“Apart from that, over the last seven days no major search operation has been commenced by the police or SES and no one has seen or heard from Lachlan.”

A Queensland Police spokesperson said officers were continuing the search for Mr Symonds and had undertaken extensive searches of where he was last seen.

“Officers have spoken to multiple residents of Coleman Road, where Lachlan was last seen, to establish any sightings of the missing man. Unfortunately, there have been no positive sightings at this point,” they said.

On top of foot searches, officers had conducted bush searches with a Rhino 4WD, while PolAir had been an additional asset used in the search for several days. 

“The Queensland Police Service understands this is a difficult and emotional time for Lachlan’s family while he remains missing and are using multiple resources to locate him. 

“Officers will today continue searching the bushland, mine shafts and potential shelters in the immediate area where Lachlan was last seen.”

If you have any Information about the disappearance of Mr Symonds please contact the Queensland Police on 1800 333 000.