Human Remains Located at Dirty Creek

Human remains, believed to be those of 81-year-old David Johnston, have been discovered in the Clarence Valley.

Mr Johnston was last seen on Tuesday 18 March 2025, with CCTV footage capturing him at Halfway Creek service station heading west in a grey Nissan Qashqai. He had left Sydney to visit family but never arrived. His age and medical history made the case especially concerning, with police and family appealing for public help throughout the investigation.

The following day, Wednesday 19 March, he was reported missing to officers from Parramatta Police Area Command, before the matter was referred to Coffs/Clarence Police District.

Despite weeks of searching, numerous lines of inquiry and four separate public appeals for information, neither Mr Johnston nor his vehicle were located. Police confirmed at the time there had been no confirmed sightings after the Halfway Creek service station. The missing person investigation drew strong community interest, with residents asked to check properties, sheds and bushland tracks for any sign of him or his car. At different points, police and SES crews searched stretches of bush and waterways in the Clarence Valley, but no trace was found.

That changed at around 4.20pm on Friday 29 August 2025, when police were called to a property at Dirty Creek following reports a vehicle had been located in thick scrub. Officers confirmed the vehicle matched the grey Nissan Qashqai linked to Mr Johnston. A coordinated search of the surrounding bushland led to the discovery of human remains, believed to be those of the missing man.

Police have confirmed that a report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner. Formal identification is yet to be completed.

The discovery brings a tragic end to months of searching and uncertainty. For many in the community, the case highlighted the challenges of missing person investigations in the Clarence Valley’s rugged and heavily forested areas, where vehicles and individuals can become difficult to locate even with extensive resources.