Fresh twist in search for missing campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay

Police attempting to solve what happened to Russell Hill and Carol Clay in the High Country have taken a new step in their search for answers.

Cadaver dogs have been unable to find any trace of missing high country campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay.

The couple have been at the centre of a major mystery since disappearing on March 20 last year.

Mr Hill, from Drouin, and Mrs Clay, from Pakenham, left home a day earlier for the trip to the Wonnangatta Valley.

Cadaver dogs from New South Wales, which specialise in locating human remains, joined the search this week but are not believed to have found anything.

It was the second search by the canines in the remote East Gippsland beauty spot.

The last known contact with the pair was on the night of March 20 when the 74-year-old Mr Hill spoke to a mate on his amateur radio.

Russell Hill

Carol Clay

Their unattended camp site was found the next morning.

Their tent had been incinerated, a table burnt and the side of Mr Hill’s four-wheel-drive scorched by fire.

The area has been the subject of thousands of hours of searching by police and others since then.

Investigators from the missing persons squad believe they have met with foul play.

Mr Hill’s drone was later found to be missing.

A drone found in the area last month was found not to be his.

The squad’s acting head, Detective acting Insp. Anthony Combridge, said police were determined to resolve the case.

“It has been over 12 months since Russell Hill and Carol Clay disappeared and we are committed to finding the answers on what happened to them,” Insp. Combridge said.

“We will continue to search the area and encourage anyone with information to come forward, no matter how small they think that information might be.”

Investigators remain eager to talk to anyone who was in the Wonnangatta area around that time of the disappearance, regardless of whether they did or did not see anything.

Police have returned to Wonnangatta Valley to continue their search for missing campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay. Supplied: Victoria Police

They want to locate people who were in the vicinity of Howitt Plains and Zeka Spur Track on March 19 and 20 and the Wonnangatta Valley and Wonnangatta Station between March 20 and 24.

Detectives know Mr Hill camped alone with his Land Cruiser around the King Billy and Bluff Track between March 11 and 13 and want to speak with anyone who was there at the time.

There was a later sighting of an older couple Black Snake Creek, Eaglevale River crossing and the Ollies Jump area on March 22 and 23 but police have been unable to confirm their identity.

They want anyone who may be those people to come forward.

Anyone with information or who has CCTV or dashcam footage of the pair can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit the website www.crimestoppersvic.com.au