Missing campers time frame narrowed to 18-hour window

The search for missing campers Carol Clay and Russell Hill continues as police narrow down the time frame in which the pair disappeared, with one detective revealing what he thinks happened in that 18-hour window.

Russell Hill and Carol Clay's campsite was damaged by fire. Picture: ABC

Police have cut the time frame in which Russell Hill and Carol Clay vanished from their High Country campsite to about 18 hours

Investigators believe something happened to the friends overnight or the morning after they last made contact from the Dry River Creek Track in the Wonnangatta Valley.

It has been 73 days since they left on the ill-fated camping trip which has gripped Victorians and is the subject of a major missing persons squad inquiry.

Investigators know Mr Hill talked via his radio with a friend at about 6.30pm on March 20, a day after setting off to East Gippsland.

He spoke only briefly because darkness was descending and he wanted to set up the camp site.

The next day, other High Country visitors came across their camp at about 2pm.

They saw fire had destroyed a tent and camp furniture and had also scorched the side of Mr Hill’s Toyota LandCruiser.

Missing 74-year-old Drouin man Russell Hill.

Missing Pakenham woman Carol Clay.

Those passers-by believe it had been out long enough to have gone cold.

It was not smoking at that point.

The fire remains one of the most intriguing elements of the case because, despite an arson chemist’s investigation, its exact cause is not known.

Detective Insp. Andrew Stamper, the head of the missing persons squad, said it was as though Mr Hill, 74, and Ms Clay, 73, disappeared into thin air.

He said search and rescue squad officers, who have run major operations in the surrounding area, were convinced they would have found some trace of the friends if they were still there.

Insp. Stamper said talk of wild dogs removing remains of people who died in the High Country possibly had foundation, but the canines would be expected to leave behind traces like footwear or clothing.

Insp. Stamper said it was possible something had gone wrong while the pair were out exploring the bush.

But both getting into the kind of trouble which led to death was less likely, he said.

Investigators are now trying to track every person who was in the area where Mr Hill, of Drouin, and Ms Clay, who is from Pakenham, travelled.

Insp. Stamper said there were a lot of people in the High Country that weekend as COVID-19 restrictions loomed.

It is believed Russell and Carol were camping at Wonnangatta River near the Wonnangatta camping ground.

Investigators have been working via public appeals and intensive investigation work to find everyone who was in a wide expanse of the High Country to see if they noticed anything that could help the inquiry.

Mr Hill had been in the King Billy and Bluff Track area from March 13 to 16 on a separate solo visit with his new drone.

He also took the drone on the trip with Ms Clay the next week.

It has not been recovered and remains another puzzling elements of the inquiry.

Anyone with any other information on the disappearance or who has any CCTV or dashcam footage can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit the website www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

MORE NEW

FRESH CLUES IN MISSING CAMPER SEARCH
SEARCH FOR MISSING CAMPERS ON SECRET RENDEZVOUS CONTINUES

THE MISSING ALPS CAMPERS AND THE ODDBALL BUSH LONER