Dale Eric Godfrey’s death at Mt Wellington to remain unsolved

Six years after he was last seen alive, Dale Godfrey’s skull and bones were found by bushwalkers at kunanyi / Mt Wellington. A coroner has now released his findings into the death.

A coroner has been unable to determine how Huonville man Dale Godfrey, who told his daughter he planned to “go bush” in March 2013, died. His remains were finally found on kunanyi / Mt Wellington last year. PICTURE: Amanda Ducker

A CORONER has been unable to determine what caused the death of a Huonville man whose skull and bones were found scattered at Mount Wellington.

Dale Eric Godfrey, 48, went missing in March 2013 after telling his daughter he planned to “go bush” and that he’d contact her in three months.

But Mr Godfrey’s daughter never saw him again.

Dale Godfrey.

His remains were not found until six years later, on February 11 last year, when bushwalkers chanced upon his bones near the East West Trail, Coroner Simon Cooper said in his findings released Thursday.

Forensic, search and rescue police, and criminal investigation police arrived the next day, finding Mr Godfrey’s camping equipment, clothing and a wallet with his identification in it.

“A number of human bones, including a skull with a majority of teeth intact, were found in the general area, spread over a radius of about 20 metres,” Mr Cooper said.

“The spread of bones was consistent with animal interference.”

The bones were then taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital mortuary and examined by a forensic pathologist and a forensic anthropologist.

A cause of death could not be determined, but analysis showed the bones belonged to a middle-aged Caucasian male.

Subsequent DNA testing proved the remains belonged to Mr Godfrey, the coroner said.

MORE NEWS:

LIST: EIGHT TASSIE CRIMINALS RELEASED FROM JAIL THIS YEAR

LIVING THE DREAM: NEW OWNERS FOR $1.35M HOMESTEAD

SHEEAN VC PUSH COULD OFFEND THE QUEEN

Mr Cooper said a taxi driver dropped him at the Springs on March 1, 2013, but there was no evidence of him being seen alive after that date.

According to police reports at the time, Mr Godfrey was an experienced camper, had “more than sufficient provisions” with him, regularly spent time at kunanyi / Mt Wellington, and appeared to be in good spirits at the time of his disappearance.

The Mercury reported last year that his daughter raised concerns with police about his whereabouts in 2014, but he was not formally reported missing until 2017.

“I note that Mr Godfrey had a history of mental health difficulties, symptoms of which included suicidal ideation,” Mr Cooper said.

“It may be that his death was suicide, although nothing was located at the scene where his remains were located to suggest that this was so.

“Similarly, it may be that his death was due to misadventure or natural causes – however the evidence does not enable me to make a finding in this regard either.”