Jamie Stephen HERDMAN
Jamie Stephen HERDMAN
January 16, 2007 05:35pm
Even as Senior Detective Police Sergeant Scott Pollock offered the possible scenario to reporters, the family of the missing 26-year-old struggled to stay positive.
Jamie Herdman was last seen hitchhiking at Daly Waters, about 600km south of Darwin, on November 30.
The dreadlocked traveller's Kombi van - containing his mobile phone, clothes, toothbrush, cards and some cash - was found abandoned near a Stuart Highway roadhouse.
The car, which was prone to overheating, was unlocked and the keys were not in the ignition. His family have no idea where the happy young man was headed.
"Basically he's disappeared off the face of the earth," Sgt Pollock said.
"We just don't have an answer for what we consider to be a highly unusual disappearance. It was totally out of character."
Jamie is not the first tourist to go missing in the vast stretches of inhospitable terrain that tie Darwin to the rest of Australia. But his family are determined to find answers.
Posters now plaster the walls of every pub, club and service station along the lonely stretch of highway between Daly Waters and Darwin after Jamie's father, Steve, and brother, Carl, met in Darwin last week to retrace his steps.
"We just want to sort this thing out. We just want to find our boy ... we want to sort things out in our own minds," said Mr Herdman, who lives in London and last spoke to his eldest son in early November.
"He was in a really good frame of mind, very positive, said that he had saved money."
Jamie, a trained chef, had spent the previous 18 months working for a furniture removal company at Broome in Western Australia before deciding to go on his road trip.
Despite an exhaustive air and ground search, police have found no trace of the missing traveller, who comes from Whakatane in New Zealand.
"It's really hard for us to believe that no one has seen him there and we're just appealing to the truck drivers, any tourist going past, just to have a think about it," said Carl, who lived with his brother for six months when he first arrived in Australia.
"We are just keeping busy and living on hope. Playing it day by day, hour by hour."
There is hope Jamie may have become stranded in a remote Aboriginal community, now cut off by flood waters, and unaware of all the fuss he is causing.
"We are hopeful that he may have been either picked up or ended up in remote community perhaps," Sgt Pollock said.
"He may have wandered into a remote locality and may be oblivious to to the fact that everybody is looking for him."
But police and Jamie's family are aware that the likelihood of this is slim.
Fighting back tears, Mr Herdman pleaded for his son or anyone who might have seen him to get in touch.
"We are really struggling now ... just ring us, mate."
People missing in the outback since 2004
April, 2004 - Victorian woman Jennifer Lane
disappears from the YHA hostel in Parsons Street at
Alice Springs. She failed to check out and her luggage
was uncollected.
January 4, 2005 - Czech tourist Lubos Gencur is last
seen walking near Curtin Springs. He had flown to
Australia for a hang-gliding event but decided to see
Uluru before the competition.
Sept 24, 2005 - Czechoslovakian man Stan Dobias, 60,
disappears after walking down a track to lock the gates
to the property he was living on in the Attack Creek
area, near Alice Springs.
Mid January, 2006 - Aloysious Hayes, 41, goes missing
from William Well, an outstation about 20km south-east
of Alice Springs.
March 4, 2006 - Sybil Malbunka is last seen at the
boundary of the restricted area near Santa Teresa,
south-east of Alice Springs.
April 22, 2006 - Western Australian man Brett
McGillivray goes missing near Attack Creek, about 80km
north of Alice Springs. A passing truck driver noticed
the missing man's abandoned car in a parking bay with
the keys left in the ignition.
April 24, 2006 - Patrick Doolan wanders away from the
Amoonguna community just out of Alice Springs. No trace
has been found of the elderly Aboriginal man.
Nov 30, 2006 - Jamie Herdman, 26, is last sighted
hitchhiking at Daly Waters, about 600km south of Darwin.
His van is found near a Stuart Highway roadhouse.
Friday, 8 December 2006
Concern for man missing from Daly Waters
Northern Territory police say they are concerned for the welfare of a man who
was last seen at Daly Waters almost a week ago.
Police were alerted to Jamie Herdman's disappearance after staff at the town's
Highway Inn noticed the 26 year old’s Nissan Urvan appeared to have been
abandoned.
The vehicle containing the man’s personal property and cash had been parked at
the Highway Inn since last Thursday, but there has been no sign of the van’s
owner since then.
Mr Herdman was known to have recently travelled from Broome in Western
Australia.
The man’s family in New Zealand have told detectives it is uncharacteristic for
Mr Herdman to fail to contact them and they were concerned for his welfare.
He is described as Caucasian, approximately 180 cm tall with brown
shoulder-length dreadlocks.
He was last seen driving a white Nissan Urvan with Victorian registration
ILW-930.
Anyone who might have seen the missing man or who has any information should
contact police on 131 444.
Thursday, December 28, 2006. 9:26am (AEDT)
NZ man missing in NT - ABC
The Police Territory Response Group has begun a search in the Barkly region for
a New Zealand man.
Jamie Stephen Herdman was on a working holiday when he abandoned his van and
belongings at the Daly Waters Roadhouse on November 30.
Two possible sightings were reported near Katherine last week.
Mr Herdman's family say they are concerned for his welfare because he has not
contacted them.
Police are conducting line searches in the immediate vicinity of the Daly Waters
Roadhouse as well as speaking to businesses along the Stuart Highway.
Saturday, December 30, 2006. 3:44pm (AEDT)
NT police hope to find missing NZ man
Northern Territory police are continuing their search today for a New Zealand
man who went missing in the Barkly area more than a month ago.
Jamie Stephen Herdman, 26, apparently abandoned his van and belongings at the
Daly Waters roadhouse on November 30.
Police were considering giving up the search last night.
But officers say they are still hopeful he can be found and are continuing to
comb the area with motorcycles, on foot, and by helicopter.
Search fails to find missing NZ man - The Australian
January 01, 2007
AN intensive search has failed to uncover any sign of a New Zealand man who went
missing in the Northern Territory more than a month ago.
Police are concerned for the welfare of 26-year-old Jamie Stephen Herdman, who
was last seen at Daly Waters, about 600km south of Darwin, on November 30.
Police were alerted by staff at a Stuart Highway roadhouse who became concerned
when they noticed the man's car had been abandoned.
The car contained Mr Herdman's personal property and a sum of cash.
Police today said an intensive four-day search of the area around the roadhouse
had wrapped up without turning up any trace of Mr Herdman.
“They were checking the bushland in the area to make sure there were no bodies
or anything like that lying around,” a police spokeswoman said.
“There's still no sign of him,” she said.
“Police can't confirm at this stage whether or not foul play was involved.”
Police said Mr Herdman had recently travelled to the NT from Broome in Western
Australia.
The man's family in New Zealand have told police it is unlike Mr Herdman to fail
to contact them.
Mr Herdman is described as being of Caucasian appearance, approximately 180cm
tall with brown shoulder-length dreadlocks.
Family fears for NZer missing in outback Australia
Tuesday January 02, 2007
By Elizabeth Binning - NZ Herald
Fears are growing for the wellbeing of a New Zealander who has been missing in
Australia's Northern Territory for more than a month.
Whakatane man Jamie Stephen Herdman, 26, has not been seen since November 30
when his Nissan van was found at the Highway Inn in the small town of Daly
Waters.
Police were called by staff who were concerned the van, which contained cash and
personal belongings, had been abandoned.
Mr Herdman was reportedly last seen trying to hitchhike along the Stuart
Highway, about 7km from the Inn, but it is not clear if he got a ride.
He has not touched his accounts or contacted his family since then.
Don Herdman, Jamie's grandfather, told the Herald it wasn't unusual for him to
be out of touch for a while.
However Mr Herdman's concern for the wellbeing of Jamie increased on learning
that his grandson had left cash and belongings in the van.
"Oh my gosh, that is concerning. I didn't know that. We are a bit concerned now
that this is starting to develop into something," he said.
"We thought [his disappearance] was short term and he would contact his brother
or his friends in Perth."
Jamie's brother Carl Herdman said he last spoke to his brother about 5 1/2 weeks
ago and Jamie sounded fine then.
But he was worried that Jamie had not made contact over Christmas or New Year,
something he would normally do.
Carl said Jamie, who is about 1.8m tall with shoulder-length dreadlocks, had
been in Australia for about 18 months and was working for a furniture shifting
company in Broome.
Jamie grew up in Whakatane, where his grandparents live. His father is in London
and he has a sister who has just returned to New Zealand from England.
Northern Territory police spokeswoman Hayley Dwyer said police would continue
searching for Mr Herdman using specialist teams.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Australian police.
Tuesday, January 2, 2007. 12:42pm (AEDT)
Search for missing NZ man called off
The search for a New Zealand man who went missing 480 kilometres south of Darwin
has been called off.
Northern Territory police say 26-year-old Jamie Stephen Herdman left his van and
belongings at the Daly Waters Roadhouse on November 30.
Tennant Creek Superintendent Ian Lee says the search was called off because
there was no trace of the missing man.
"It's been called off because there's nothing found at all in relation to the
missing person," he said.
"There are no further areas to search."
Police investigations into Mr Herdman's disappearance will continue.
Friday 05-Jan-2007 (1530 hrs CST)
Concern for welfare of missing person - Jamie Stephen Herdman
NT Police have today released another photo of missing man Jamie Herdman who has
been sought since abandoning his vehicle near Daly Waters in November. (see top
of page)
Police received a report from staff at the Highway Inn that Jamie Stephen
Herdman’s Nissan Urvan appeared to have been abandoned. The vehicle, containing
the 26-year-old’s personal property and cash, had been parked at the Highway Inn
since 30 November.
Police investigations led to reports of several sightings of the man apparently
hitch-hiking along the Stuart Highway towards Katherine. The most recent
reported sighting was in Darwin on 20 December, however, none of the sightings
have yet been substantiated and the man’s bank account has not been touched, nor
has he contacted relatives.
An air and ground search of the area around Daly Waters was conducted last week
however, police found no sign of the man.
Police are concerned for his welfare and have released the new photo in the hope
someone might recognise him.
Anyone with information about the missing man is asked to call police on 131 444
or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Friday 12-Jan-2007 (1746 hrs CST)
Concern for welfare – missing person – Jamie Herdman (update 5)
Police are continuing their investigations into the disappearance of 26-year-old
New Zealand man Jamie Herdman who was last seen at the Highway Inn near Daly
Waters in November.
Police have today have met with members of the Herdman family and are working in
partnership with them in an attempt to piece together his movements leading up
to his Nissan Urvan being abandoned at the road house.
Despite an extensive air and ground search of the difficult terrain and thick
scrub land around Daly Waters police found no sign of the man. However,
A/Superintendent of Major Crime Scott Pollock says that police remain hopeful.
“With the assistance of the public, we remain hopeful that someone knows of Mr
Herdman’s whereabouts and we would encourage them to contact police urgently as
Jamie's lack of contact with family is out of character.”
“Having a loved one go missing is a traumatic experience for a family. Mr
Herdman or anyone who may know of his whereabouts is urged to contact his family
or police.”
To date only one sighting of Jamie has been confirmed – that being one of him
hitch-hiking about 500 metres south of the Highway Inn on 26 November 2006.
Police remain concerned for his welfare and anyone with information about the
missing man is asked to call police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333
000.
Saturday, January 13, 2007. 2:29pm (AEDT)
Father searches for missing son in NT - ABC
The father of a 26-year-old New Zealand man who has been missing in the Northern
Territory for more than a month has flown in to try and find his son.
Jamie Herdman was last seen in late November at the Highway Inn near Daly
Waters, 480 kilometres south of Darwin.
His father Steve arrived from England yesterday and is travelling down the
Stuart Highway towards where Jamie was last seen.
He says he is handing out posters with information about his son in the hope
that new information may be brought to light.
"It is out in a very isolated area, but there's also a large number of vehicles
that pass through that area so we're getting these posters out and hoping that
it will just jog somebody's memory and we could sort of grab that and move on,"
he said.
Wednesday 17-Jan-2007 (1434 hrs CST)
Concern for welfare of missing person - Jamie Stephen Herdman (update 6)
Police are calling for assistance from Broome residents to come forward with any
information regarding 26-year-old New Zealand man Jamie Herdman who was last
seen at the Hi-Way Inn near Daly Waters in the Northern Territory in November.
Police investigations are now focussing on the days leading up to Mr Herdman
leaving Broome to travel to the Northern Territory.
Family members last spoke with Mr Herdman on November 20 and he was in good
spirits and planning his future. Three days later he was suddenly leaving Broome
and would not explain why.
“We are concentrating our investigation on the three day period leading up to Mr
Herdman deciding to leave Broome,” said Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Pollock.
“We would like the public’s assistance to determine why he might have left and
if there was any event that led him to that decision.”
“We encourage anyone who may have known Mr Herdman or sighted him in Broome to
contact police urgently; Jamie's lack of contact with family is out of
character,” he said.
Police remain concerned for Mr Herdman’s welfare and anyone with information
about him is asked to call Northern Territory Police on 131 444 or Crime
Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Thursday 01-Feb-2007 (1212 hrs CST)
Concern for welfare of missing person - Jamie Stephen Herdman (update 7)
Northern Territory Police have enlisted the cooperation of Queensland Police
after receiving two unconfirmed sightings of missing person New Zealander Jamie
Herdman in outback Queensland.
A man matching Mr Herdman’s description was seen in the past week in Mt Isa and
later walking alone along the Flinders Highway - Landsborough Highway on 28
January. At the time he was wearing khaki/brown knee length shorts, a brown
short sleeved shirt, hiking boots, a dark brimmed hat and was carrying a dark
rucksack on his back.
A state-wide alert has been issued and police are calling for the public’s
assistance to raise awareness about Mr Herdman, who may be unaware that he is
listed as a missing person.
Jamie Stephen Herdman is described as Caucasian, approximately 180 cm tall with
brown shoulder-length dreadlocks and a slim build.
“It is possible that Mr Herdman does not realise there are concerns for his
welfare,” said Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Pollock.
“Anyone who has seen Mr Herdman or knows of his whereabouts is urged to contact
police urgently as his lack of contact with family is out of character.”
“It’s vital that we establish contact with Mr Herdman to ensure he is safe and
well and to provide some reassurance to his family at this traumatic time”.
The last confirmed sighting of Mr Herdman was of him hitch-hiking about 500
metres south of the Hi-Way Inn near Daly Waters in the Northern Territory on 26
November 2006.
His Nissan Urvan with Victorian registration ILW-930 was found abandoned at the
roadhouse on 28 November 2006.
Police remain concerned for his welfare and anyone with information about the
missing man is asked to call police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333
000.
Missing backpacker 'spotted in Queensland'
February 2, 2007 - 9:46AM
A New Zealand tourist missing in the Northern Territory outback for more than
two months may have been spotted in Queensland.
Jamie Herdman, 26, was last seen hitchhiking at Daly Waters, about 600km south
of Darwin, on November 30.
His Kombie van - containing his mobile phone, clothes, toothbrush, and cash -
was found abandoned near a Stuart Highway roadhouse.
Extensive searches have failed to find any trace of the missing traveller and
hopes for his safety have faded over recent weeks.
But NT police today confirmed they had enlisted the cooperation of Queensland
police after receiving two unconfirmed sightings in the outback of the sunshine
state.
A man matching Mr Herdman's description was seen in the past week in Mt Isa, and
later walking alone along the Flinders Highway - Landsborough Highway on January
28.
He may not be aware he had been listed as a missing person, Detective Senior
Sergeant Scott Pollock said today.
"It is possible that Mr Herdman does not realise there are concerns for his
welfare," he said.
"Anyone who has seen Mr Herdman or knows of his whereabouts is urged to contact
police urgently as his lack of contact with family is out of character.
"It's vital that we establish contact with Mr Herdman to ensure he is safe and
well and to provide some reassurance to his family at this traumatic time."
His father, Steve Herdman, flew from the UK to join his other son in Darwin in
mid-January.
Mr Herdman, who is a trained chef, had spent the previous 18 months living with
his brother and working for a furniture removal company at Broome in Western
Australia.
It is not known where he was headed when he disappeared, although his brother
said he had talked of visiting Darwin.
From the start of the police investigation, detectives have speculated that he
was trapped in an Aboriginal community, cut off by monsoonal flooding.
At the time of the last possible sighting of Mr Herdman, police said he was
wearing khaki/brown knee length shorts, a brown short sleeved shirt, hiking
boots, a dark brimmed hat and was carrying a dark rucksack on his back.
AAP
Tuesday, February 13, 2007. 8:20pm (AEDT)
Missing man's sister not giving up hope - ABC
The sister of a New Zealand man who went missing in the Northern Territory last
November says she has not given up hope that he will be found.
Jamie Herdman, 26, has not been seen since his car and possessions were found
abandoned at the Highway Inn near Daly Waters.
His sister, Kim Herdman, flew to Australia with her father recently to try and
trace his possible movements, but she says police have no fresh leads.
"As far as I know they're going back through everything, trying to pick up on I
guess anything that could have been missed," she said.
"Obviously following up on any new sightings or any new information that's
coming through.
"But we've kind of come back to square one in a way, and we are hoping that if
he is laying low, if he does hear of anything then by all means please get in
touch with us."
Air search for man missing in outback
January 25, 2007 - SMH
New Zealand tourist Jamie Herdman was last seen trying to catch a ride at Daly
Waters, about 600 kilometres south of Darwin, on November 30.
His Kombi van - containing his mobile phone, clothes, toothbrush, cards and some
cash - was found abandoned near a Stuart Highway roadhouse.
The vehicle, which was prone to overheating, was unlocked and the keys were not
in the ignition.
The 26-year-old trained chef had spent the previous 18 months working for a
furniture removal company at Broome in Western Australia when he decided to go
on his road trip.
Despite an extensive air and ground search, police have found no trace of the
missing traveller.
26 October 2007
NSW Police in conjunction with other police jurisdictions are appealing
for public assistance to locate a man who was last seen in the Northern
Territory in November last year.
Jamie Herdman left Broome W.A. on 23 November 2006 and was last believed to be
in Daly Waters in the Northern Territory on 30 November 2006.
Despite extensive inquiries with family members, friends, workmates and
acquaintances of Jamie police have not been able to confirm his whereabouts.
Several other reported sightings have not provided any clues.
A subsequent search of an area of bushland around Daly Waters also failed to
reveal any information that may assist investigators.
Following recent media coverage, police have received information indicating
that Jamie may have been travelling around NSW in recent times.
Jamie Herdman was born in New Zealand and is described as white/European in
appearance, he is 178cm tall, 75kg, with brown shoulder length hair in
dreadlocks and dresses casually.
Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Jamie Herdman, or with information to assist
the investigations, is urged to contact NSW Police Force Missing Persons Unit on
8835 7663 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
By TOM FITZSIMONS - The Dominion Post | Wednesday,
02 January 2008
Not a day goes by that the family of missing New Zealander Jamie Herdman don't talk about him.
"It must have been three times today," his grandfather Don Herdman says. More than 12 months have passed since his 26-year-old grandson disappeared, and a deep uncertainty has become part of daily life for the Herdman family.
"We're just living in hope that something might come up."
Jamie Herdman has not been seen since November 30, 2006, when he was driving a van in the Outback.
An intense police search began in late December after staff at a Highway Inn at Daly Waters, 620 kilometres south of Darwin, found the van abandoned, and containing personal property and cash.
Mr Herdman's father, Steve, in England, and sister Kim, in Wellington, flew to the Northern Territory, but despite several sightings, no trace was found.
Don Herdman says the past year has been traumatic, with no news received for months about Jamie, who is described by his family as friendly and easygoing, but also independent.
Police recently showed a video of his grandson on Australian television, which the family hope may reignite the inquiry.
Darwin Detective Senior Constable Kerry Harris says the inquiry is still open and sightings of similar people are still being received.
"Sightings have been reported every month since Jamie was reported missing. The amount varies depending on what has been outlined in the media, but reports have been constant."
All reports are assessed and treated as legitimate till proven otherwise, he says.
Posters had been distributed, and Mr Herdman was also featured on a national missing persons television show in October.
The last sighting of someone similar to Mr Herdman was in north Queensland near Townsville early last month.
"A further report was received from north Queensland a few days later providing similar information," Mr Harris says.
"These sightings are currently being dealt with with the assistance of Queensland police."