Daughter feared exposure of mother’s affair with Russell Hill when campers vanished
The daughter of camper Carol Clay feared her mother’s affair with childhood sweetheart Russell Hill being made public when they vanished from Victoria’s High Country.
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The daughter of missing camper Carol Clay has told a jury she was concerned her mother’s affair with Russell Hill would become public after their disappearance.
Former Jetstar captain, Greg Lynn, 57, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Hill, 74, and Carol Clay, 73, claiming they were accidentally killed in separate struggles over a shotgun and a knife at a remote campsite in Victoria’s High Country on March 20, 2020.
On Wednesday, the second day of Mr Lynn’s Supreme Court trial, Mrs Clay’s daughter Emma Davies told the jury she was aware her mother had been in a relationship with Mr Hill, who was her first boyfriend, for about 14 years at the time of her death.
“She said it was a very caring, very loving relationship,” she said, adding they would go on camping trips to the Licola and Dargo areas together.
Ms Davies said Sale Police contacted her on March 29, asking if she knew where her mother was and if they could issue a media release about her and Mr Hill’s disappearance.
“I indicated to (the officer) that Russell was married and so I was concerned about the media release going out and showing them camping together,” she said.
Ms Davies said her mother had been involved with the Country Women’s Association for about 15 years, where she was the president of the Pakenham branch and had previously been the Victorian president.
Earlier on Wednesday, Michael Allan told the jury he had known Mr Hill for about 30 years through amateur radio and last spoke to him around 6pm on March 20, 2020 — hours before he was allegedly murdered.
“Nothing seemed untoward,” he said.
Hunters who came across Mr Hill in the days before his Wonnangatta trip also gave evidence describing him as friendly and approachable.
Chris Benton said he spoke with Mr Hill at King Billy campsite for many hours, discussing a range of topics, including Mr Hill’s drone, hunting and that before his retirement, the elderly camper was a forestry worker who had helped cut many of the tracks in the area.
“Russell was a very kind-natured individual, he was very good to talk to,” he said.
Mr Benton said Mr Hill went on to say retirement “did f--k him up”.
“He actually put his head down when he said that remark,” he said.
“The expression was an empty expression.”
The hunter also recalled an incident where he informed Mr Hill he was not supposed to use snow gums as firewood.
Under cross-examination from Mr Lynn’s barrister Dermot Dann KC, Mr Benton agreed Mr Hill’s response was: “I don’t give a f--k.”
Another hunter, Rowan Stuart, who was on the same March 11 trip, said Mr Hill had told him about a hunting accident involving a family member.
“He went on to tell a story about a relative, possibly a nephew … but there was a case where a hunter was accidentally shot,” he said.
Mr Stuart said that discussion came up during a conversation about firearm safety, where Mr Hill asked the hunters if they took ammunition out of their firearms when they were at camp.
On March 19, 2020, Mr Hill embarked on another camping trip to the Wonnangatta Valley with Mrs Clay.
Prosecutors allege Mr Lynn murdered the elderly campers the following evening, likely after an argument relating to Mr Hill’s drone.
On Tuesday, Mr Lynn’s defence barrister Dermot Dann KC said the pair were accidentally killed in separate struggles over a shotgun and a knife.
He said his client destroyed evidence, dumped their bodies in remote bushland and returned eight months later where he set fire to what was left of their remains.
While Mr Lynn made a “terrible choice”, Mr Dann said he was innocent of murder and took steps to conceal evidence because he feared his life would be “screwed”.
Weed sprayers and other campers who were in the area at the time are expected to give evidence on Thursday.
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