Missing camper Russell Hill backed out of plan to leave his wife

Fresh details of Russell Hill and Carol Clay’s secret love affair have been aired in court, including that the pair had planned to leave their partners so they could be together until Mr Hill broke his promise.

Carol Clay and Russell Hill had planned to leave their partners and so they could be together, the court heard.

Missing campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay planned to leave their respective spouses so they could be together but Mr Hill backed out of the pact, a jury has been told.

Former Jetstar captain Greg Lynn, 57, is standing trial in the Supreme Court for the murders of retirees Mr Hill, 74, and Mrs Clay, 73, who disappeared during a camping trip to the Wonnangatta Valley in Victoria’s High Country in March 2020.

Robin Ashlin, an amateur radio enthusiast and long-time friend of Mr Hill, on Friday revealed new details about their affair, telling the jury he spoke with Mr Hill’s wife Robyn in the days after he went missing.

During that conversation, Mr Ashlin said Mrs Hill asked him if her husband had been camping with Mrs Clay – his former high school girlfriend – and that she had “been on the scene for 20 years”.

Greg Lynn is on trial for the murders of Russell Hill and Carol Clay. Picture: David Crosling

Rob Ashlin(right) arrives for the Greg Lynn court case at the Supreme Court of Victoria. Picture: David Crosling

Mr Ashlin said Mrs Hill had told him her husband and Mrs Clay had planned to leave their respective partners so they could be together but he broke his promise after she had already divorced her husband.

He said he was shocked when he learnt of their relationship or that a man aged in his 60s or 70s would get involved with another woman.

“One’s enough trouble,” he said to laughter from the public gallery.

Mr Ashlin said he had suspicions about the affair after Mr Hill introduced Mrs Clay to him as a friend when they met up for lunch.

“Even though I was told Carol was a friend, blind Freddy could see how they looked at each other,” he said.

“There was a bit more going on.”

He also described Mr Hill as a “workaholic” and someone who “kept a of stuff to himself”.

Mr Ashlin said Mr Hill seemed happy when he last spoke to him around 6pm on March 20, 2020 – the night he was allegedly murdered – through the amateur radio group which they were both a part of.

“As I said before he was happy as a pig in shit,” he said after earlier saying the phrase.

“I’m sorry mate but I say it how it is.”

Melanie Lynn, wife of accused killer Greg Lynn, arrives at court on Friday. Picture: David Crosling

Mr Hill, a retired logging contractor, helped cut the Zeka Spur Track leading into the Wonnangatta Valley and Mr Ashlin said he knew every “nook and cranny” in the area.

But after his friend failed to tune into their regular radio catch-ups for a few nights, Mr Ashlin said he was alarmed and told Mrs Hill to contact police.

Another of Mr Hill’s radio friends, James Francis, known as Jim, also spoke about Mr Hill and Mrs Clay’s relationship, telling the court he was “slightly surprised” when Mr Hill asked if he could bring Mrs Clay on a different camping trip.

“He said ‘I’ll be bringing a woman with me and it’s not my wife, is that OK?’,” he said.

Mr Francis said he came to know more about the relationship over time, and he “took it for granted” that Mrs Clay should not be mentioned during the group’s regular radio catch-ups.

“It was certainly my impression that they didn’t want her presence known,” he said.

He also said he believed Mr Hill lacked purpose after retirement and that he had confided in him that he was having marriage issues.

The trial continues.