Vandals shatter a father's heart

It has been a place of solace and quiet reflection for a heartbroken father grieving the tragic death of his beautiful young daughter.

So when Lenko Baresic last week arrived at the roadside memorial lovingly built in honour of 27-year-old Kristen and discovered the site in ruins, he was inconsolable.

"It's one of the worst days since I lost Kristen," he said.

"It was just horrific, I can't fathom the mental state of someone who could do something like that."

Mr Baresic visits his daughter's memorial, just off the Southern Freeway near Bellambi Creek, at least once a week.

On Friday he made a special trip to the site to meet with representatives from Roads and Maritime Services to discuss potential improvements to the roadway.

Upon arriving at the memorial, Mr Baresic said he initially thought strong winds the previous night had disrupted the assortment of ornaments and flowerpots.

However, on closer inspection he realised the real cause was much more disturbing.

"There were things strewn in all directions, probably half the little brick garden wall I'd built there had been knocked down, and it became pretty obvious within seconds really that someone had actually done what they've done," he said.

"I just couldn't believe it, basically I broke into tears at that point."

His first concern had been for a photo of Kristen which he soon found broken and strewn 10 metres into the surrounding bush.

Treasured ornaments and teddy bears were scattered haphazardly around the memorial, while two crosses built by Mr Baresic were destroyed and potted flowers removed.

"Whoever did this actually physically ripped the pots out of the ground and threw them everywhere as well, the furthest one away was about 15 metres from the memorial," he said.

Mr Baresic said there was no way the weather or an animal could inflict such damage, with one five-kilogram ornament found metres into the bush. He is appealing for witnesses.