Allison Bernard family makes statement on murder charge

The family of a young mum who went missing from a remote Cape York quarry almost 11 years ago has criticised past police investigations, after a man was charged with her murder.

Allison Neridine Bernard. Picture: QPS

The family of a young Kowanyama woman who disappeared at Cape York 11 years ago have criticised past police investigations after a Coen man was charged with murder.

Eleven years after the disappearance of Kowanyama woman Allison Neridine Bernard, police charged a Coen man with murder on Wednesday.

Ms Bernard was last seen at Archer River Quarry on Sunday, February 10 in 2013 at about 11pm.

Allison Bernard missing from Cape York in 2013.

She had been seen at the Exchange Hotel in Coen that evening, and police believe she was expected to travel to Kowanyama.

She never arrived.

The development is the first update on Ms Bernard’s case since a $500,000 reward was announced in April last year

In a statement, the family of Ms Bernard paid tribute to their lost loved one.

“Many do not know that Ms Bernard is a Kowanyama woman who lived all her life in her community where the Mitchell River flows into the Gulf of Carpentaria. Ms Bernard was a cheeky little girl who grew into a quiet, proud and loving mother,” the statement read.

“She loved to dance and to swim in the freshwater on her country. Her favourite flower was an orange hibiscus.

Missing woman Allison Bernard was captured on CCTV drinking with Archer River quarry caretaker on the evening she disappeared. Picture: supplied.

“Many of you would not know that we laid her favourite flowers around her framed photos at her inquest.

“Today we still grieve for her to come home.

“This has been a long sad journey for us as a family.

“After nearly 11 years the police have finally charged a man.”

A shack at The Bend on the Coen River understood to be the usual residence of the accused at the time Allison Bernard went missing. Picture: Peter Carruthers

A Coen local who asked not to be named said she recently saw police excavating an area of the Coen River known as The Bend using heavy machinery.

Regional Crime Coordinator Detective Acting Superintendent Mick Searle said police had performed excavations at a number of places around Coen, but none had turned up any items of interest.

He said despite laying a charge of murder, police had not found Ms Bernard’s body.

Superintendent Searle told a media conference in Cairns on Wednesday he would not be outlining the allegations that made up the murder charge, and would leave that process to the courts.

“The facts of the investigation will be played out through that prosecution,” he said.

During an inquest into Ms Bernard’s disappearance in 2022 former officer in charge of Coen Police Station Matthew Moloney told the court a shack at The Bend was the place where a person of interest and Archer River Quarry caretaker usually lived.

Inside the shack at The Bend on the Coen River. Picture: Peter Carruthers

“It’s healing for the family (and) I’m very happy for the family because they are the ones that pushed for a new inquiry,” the resident said.

Through lawyer Debbie Kilroy the Bernard family stated their loved one was reported missing to police in 2013.

Initial investigating officers relayed a message that she ran he ran off in the middle of the night for no reason.

“Our women do not go missing and they don’t run off into the dark for no reason,” the family statement said.

“The pressure from our lawyer and then the Coroner has ensured the police did their job and to go back and follow up their failed investigation in 2013.

“Now in 2024 a man is charged with Ms Bernard’s murder.

“We are grieving and we want her returned home.”

The 62-year-old Coen man charged with one count of murder is currently in custody in Weipa and expected to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Originally published as Allison Bernard family makes statement on murder charge