One-year anniversary of missing Victorian campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay

One-year on from the mysterious disappearance of two campers in Victoria’s high country, there is one clue that detectives haven’t been able to rule out.

Police probing the disappearance of two campers in remote Victorian bushland are still yet to rule out if a sighting of an older person three days after they were last heard from was the missing pair.

Saturday marks the one-year anniversary of the mysterious disappearance of Russell Hill and Carol Clay while camping at Wonnangatta in the state’s high country.

And while missing persons detectives have made significant headway on the case over the past few months, they are still yet to determine if the pair were sighted three days after Mr Hill last spoke to a friend over radio.

Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper on Friday conceded it was “very unlikely” that either Mr Hill or Ms Clay were still alive.

He said finding out what happened to the two campers remained a key priority for Victoria Police, and the force had increased the number of dedicated investigators looking into their disappearance.

Missing camper Russell Hill with his grandson. Picture: Supplied

Carol Clay has been missing for more than a year.

“We remain strongly optimistic of giving these families the answers they need,” he said.

“The grief that these families have had to deal with over the past year, coupled with immense public speculation, is immensely difficult to comprehend, and our thoughts are with them on this anniversary.

“I know they will be hanging on every phone call and every knock on the door, hoping they will finally get some answers.”

Mr Hill left his home in Drouin on March 19, 2020 and collected Ms Clay from her home in Pakenham in his white Toyota LandCruiser.

Mr Hill was last heard from on March 20 when he spoke to a friend over HF radio from the Wonnangatta Valley in the Victorian Alps.

The damaged campsite belonging to Russell Hill and Carol Clay who went missing in the Wonnangatta Valley.

Campers the following day found their campsite where their tent was completely destroyed by fire.

Mr Hill’s vehicle had also suffered minor damage.

But it has been a sighting of an older person or pair in the Black Snake Creek, Eaglevale River crossing and Ollies Jump areas on March 22 and 23 that has continued to puzzle investigators.

Detectives have so far been unable to establish if the sighting was Mr Hill and Ms Clay or someone else.

Police have called for anyone in those areas and any older couple who may have been those people to come forward.

Earlier this month police appealed for information regarding a white dual cab ute that had been seen near the couple’s campsite on March 19, 2020.

Inspector Stamper said that while several people had contacted police in the days since, detectives still did not believe they had been able to account for that particular vehicle.

He said at this stage police did not believe that vehicle was connected to the pair’s disappearance.

Russell Hill was an avid camper.

Police are still also yet to find Mr Hill’s DJI Mavic drone, which he is believed to have taken camping.

Inspector Stamper said police would “not give up” on trying to find the missing campers.

“We will meticulously follow up every single piece of information provided to us,” he said.

“Where that information or intelligence links to a particular area, then we will return and search that area.”

Police want to speak to anyone who was in the Wonnangatta area around that time, including campers, 4WD day trippers, hunters, fishers or trail bike riders so they can continue to eliminate people and vehicles from their extensive investigation.

Anyone with any other information regarding their disappearance or with information about the white dual cab ute has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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