Phil Lambert revealed as missing dad lost in Gympie floodwaters

Emergency services have found the body of loved husband and father-of-three Phil Lambert who went missing in floodwaters on Wednesday.

The search for a motorcyclist missing in floodwaters at Gympie has reached a tragic end after the body of local husband and father-of-three Phil Lambert was found on Thursday.

A full-scale air, water and land search at Cedar Pocket had been continuing on Thursday morning, almost 36 hours after Mr Lambert was last seen leaving work at a Gympie shopping centre.

His body was found about 11.30am by divers.

Police said it was found in area close to where his motorcycle was located; it had previously been too dangerous to search.

It’s understood he was trying to ride his motorcycle home about 1am along Cedar Pocket Road, in the middle of unprecedented deluge that turned country creeks in deadly, raging oceans and dumped more than 350mm of rain.

Mr Lambert’s distraught wife Sue was at the scene of the search on Thursday morning before the grim discovery, cutting a lonely and tearful figure as she walked the muddy road where multiple SES and police vehicles were parked and a LifeFlight rescue helicopter flew overhead, following the creek line.

The scene of a massive search for missing Gympie dad Phil Lambert. Maryborough tactical crime squad police officer Brendan Hindle shows the height of the flood waters as they raged through Greens Creek on Wednesday night.

Mrs Lambert wrung her hands as she peered down the creek that may have taken her husband’s life; she apologised for not wanting to give media an interview right now.

“I am just praying they find him,” she said at the time. “They have to find him.”

Emergency services said on Thursday the discovery of a backpack and helmet near the Greens Creek Bridge on Wednesday afternoon gave them hope they might find Mr Lambert alive; that he may have walked away from the torrent.

His motorcycle had been found in the floodwater about 200m from the bridge at 7.30am on Wednesday.

Maryborough tactical crime squad police officers had joined the search on Thursday, and Senior Constable Brendan Hindle at the scene said they were walking the creek through dense scrub and debris but there had so far been no sign of Mr Lambert.

A full-scale air, water and land search at Cedar Pocket had still failed to find local father of three Phil Lambert by Thursday morning, almost 36 hours after he was last seen leaving work at a Gympie shopping centre.

Gympie police held a media conference at Channon Street at 10.30am on Thursday.

Inspector Pat Swindells told media emergency crews were hopeful.

“We’re hoping to still find him alive,” he said.

Conditions at Cedar Pocket were “quite dangerous” with roads washed away and fences and barbed wire strewn ”wrapped around everywhere”.

Fences near the search areas showed the savage extent of the flood water and volume of debris it contained.
Inspector Swindells said Mr Lambert had left work at one of Gympie‘s shopping centres about 1am Wednesday during the height of the downpour.
“His wife and son have been at home; police have been in contact with them constantly and keeping them informed of the search,” he said.
“We are doing everything we can to try and find (him).”

Investigations into Mr Lambert’s death are continuing.

Challenging conditions are confronting the full-scale air, water and land search at Cedar Pocket for missing local father of three Phil Lambert.

Originally published as Phil Lambert revealed as missing dad lost in Gympie floodwaters