National Missing Person Week 2022: The people who never came home

It's remembered annually to raise awareness of the significant issues surrounding missing persons.

The week is also used to profile long-term missing persons, and to educate the Australian community.

The disappearance of Tony Jones in 1982 was the catalyst for the establishment of National Missing Persons Week (NMPW) in Australia by the Jones family.

The inaugural week took place with a memorial service in Townsville in 1988, where the Mayor of Townsville planted a tree in commemoration of Mr Jones.

These are the people with connections to the Illawarra and South Coast on the NSW register. You can view the national list of missing persons here.

Aaron Payne was last seen by his sister leaving his home in Engadine. His car was found at Beachcomber Avenue Bundeena on 20/10/2018.Missing since: Friday, October 19, 2018

Last seen: Engadine, NSW

Year of birth: 1986

Aaron would now be 36.

He is 172cm, of medium build with brown hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion.

He wears hearing aids.

Brendan Crinis has not been seen since 9 September 2002. He left his house in the Wollongong area and has had no contact with family or friends since. There are concerns for his safety and welfare.

Missing since: Monday, September 9, 2002

Last seen: Wollongong NSW

Year of birth: 1983

Brendan, who would now be 38, is of slim build, with brown hair and brown eyes.

Cheryl Gene Grimmer was last seen on 12 January 1970 at Fairy Meadow Beach, Wollongong, NSW. Cheryl, who was just three years old at the time of her disappearance, had spent the morning at the beach with her mother and three elder brothers.

Cheryl was abducted from outside the change shed at the beach. Investigations since her disappearance have failed to find any trace of Cheryl and it is believed she has been murdered.

On the 11 September 2012, the Police Minister at the time issued a reward of $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the abduction and murder Cheryl.

Missing since: Monday, January 12, 1970

Last seen: Wollongong NSW

Year of birth: 1966

Age now: 55

Distinguishing features: Protruding belly button

Reward offered: $100,000

Daniel Stort was last seen on July 5, 2015, by his mother. He went missing from his home address in Smith Street Wollongong.

Police hold grave concerns for his welfare.

Missing since: Sunday, July 5, 2015

Last seen: Wollongong NSW

Year of birth: 1987

Daniel now would be 35 years of age.

He is 185cm tall, of medium build, with brown hair, blue eyes and a medium complexion.

Derrick Raymond Hart was last seen leaving his family home around 10.15am on January 2, 1987. Derrick was scheduled to attend a location in Wollongong on personal business, however did not make the appointment.

Derrick has not been seen or heard from since.

Missing since: Friday, January 2, 1987

Last seen: Warilla, NSW

Year of birth: 1924

Derrick now would be a 98-year-old. When he went missing he was 175cm, of thin build with grey heair, green eyes and a fair complexion.

He has a Welsh accent and a droopy right eye.

Garry Verrall, was last seen leaving his unit in Narooma on the morning of Wednesday, January 24, 2018. He stated he was going to the Tilba area and would return the following day. He has not been seen since.

Police hold serious concerns for his safety and welfare.

Missing since: Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Last seen: Narooma, NSW

Year of birth: 1955

Garry would be 67 now.

He is 175cm with a thin build, white hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion.

he has small tattoos on his lower right arm.

Glen Yates was last known to be on board vessel 'Bonne Idee' off the coast of Eden NSW on November 20, 2020. The vessel 'Bonne Idee' has since been recovered. Police, family and friends hold serious concerns for the welfare of Glen.

Missing since: Friday, November 20, 2020

Last seen: Offshore - Eden

Year of birth: 1957

Glen would now be 65. he is 175cm tall, of medium build with grey hair and green eyes.

At 7am on October 26, 1989, Grant Rodgers left his Albion Park home to attend work in Thirroul New South Wales. He failed to turn up for work and has not been seen since. Grant's four-wheel drive was discovered at Mt Kembla without any trace of him.

Missing since: Thursday, October 26, 1989

Last seen: Albion Park NSW

Year of birth: 1960

Grant would be 61 now.

He is of medium build, 178cm, with brown hair and brown eyes.

He has an operation scar on the left side of his back.

Ian Stanton was 23 years old, when he went missing from Bundanoon on 9 May 9, 2003.

Missing since: Friday, May 9, 2003

Last seen: Bundanoon NSW

Year of birth: 1980

Ian would be 42 now and is 185cm of medium build with brown hair and blue/green eyes.

Ian has a tattoo of a cartoon-style round bomb with lit fuse located between the forefinger and thumb of left hand measuring 2cm x 2cm.

Jaki-Lee Walsh, aged 22, was last seen by her boyfriend after dropping him to work on April 14, 1989.

Jaki-Lee was seen driving in the Kiama area that day. She has not made contact or been seen by family or friends since this time.

Missing since: Friday, April 14, 1989

Last seen: Kiama, NSW

Year of birth: 1967

Jaki-Lee would be 54. She is 159cm, of medium build with brown hair and brown eyes and a fair complexion.

Kathleen Harris was last seen at her home in Huskisson NSW by a friend about 9pm on 31 May 1999.

She had planned to meet with friends the following day but never arrived. Her personal belongings, including her purse and keys, were located in her home, and family and friends have not heard from her since she went missing.

Police are treating her disappearance as suspicious and have not ruled out that Kathleen may have been murdered.

There is a $100,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.

Missing since: Monday, May 31, 1999

Last seen: Huskisson NSW

Year of birth: 1983

Age now: 38

Kathleen would now be 38. When she was seen last she was 160cm, of slim build with brown hair and an olive complexion.

Kay Docherty, then aged 16, was last seen on 27 July 1979 around 7.30pm in the company of Toni Cavanagh, then aged 15 (also missing). Both girls left their homes and did not return. Kay told her parents she was staying at Toni's house, and Toni told her family they were going to the movies with Kay's aunt and uncle.

There was a sighting of the two at Bulli Tops, shortly afterwards. It's believed the girls were on their way to the Wollongong CBD to attend a disco, but it's not known whether they ever made it.

Both girls were reported missing to the police on Sunday 29th July. The following week, Toni and Kay's families received separate letters from the pair posted from the Kings Cross area, saying they were staying with friends and would be home soon.

There have been no confirmed sightings of the girls since they were seen at a Bulli Tops bus stop at dusk on the evening of Friday 27, although there was an unconfirmed sighting in Queensland in 1984. There are grave concerns for the safety and welfare of the girls.

A reward of $100,000 is offered for information to solve the double disappearance.

Missing since: Friday, July 27, 1979

Leslie Hicks went missing from the Wollongong area on March 23, 2008. Searches have been conducted, yet failed to locate him. His main mode of transport would be public transport and it is believed he may have been travelling to Newcastle from Wollongong via train.

Mark Goldsmith, aged 51, was last seen on 27th of December 2009.

Mark had told his family he was going up the coast to visit a friend for a few days, however, he has not made contact since. Police hold concerns for the welfare of Mark.

Morgan Rae was last seen leaving his friends residence in Caringbah before attending an appointment in Gymea NSW on the morning on 31st of January. Morgan has not been seen since this time.

On the morning of the June 11, 2014, Nikolce (Nick) Veljanovski, went missing from Bundeena, NSW. There have been numerous sightings of Nick over the past four years, which have been investigated.

The Coroner has found that Nick died either on, or sometime after, June 11, 2014, with the location, manner and cause of death being unknown. The Veljanovski family are devastated and desperately want information about their son, Nick. The family have posted a large reward for any information which leads to the whereabouts of their son.

Pauline Sowry (aka Lawerence) was last seen on November 29, 1992, in Warrawong.

Missing since: Sunday, November 29, 1992

Year of birth: 1948

Pauline now would be aged 73. When she was last seen she was 180cm, of slim build with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Peter Jeacle, aged 62, was last seen by his daughter at 12.30am on January 17, 2010, at his residence in Tomakin Place, Tomakin, NSW. Peter possibly left home between 12.30am and 3.30am on foot and took his wallet, mobile phone and the house phone with him.

There was an alleged sighting of Peter at the Waterfront Hotel, Moruya on January 20, 2010.

He has a scar on top of head and left temple.

Peter has not been seen or made contact with family or friends since he went missing and there are grave concerns held for his welfare.

Radosav Stanisavljevic was residing in Queanbeyan, NSW and frequently travelled between Queanbeyan and Batemans Bay, NSW, where he was building a small block of units, before his disappearance.

Radosav appears to have gone missing in the vicinity of Batemans Bay, his vehicle was located near Captains Flat, NSW, however Radosav was not found with it.

Raymond Speechley was last seen on 7 July 2016 around Dalmeny, NSW at about 3:50pm. Raymond had wandered away from a nearby nursing home he was staying at the time of his disappearance.

There are serious concerns for the safety and welfare of Raymond.

Renee Aitken, age 5 years, was last seen by her mother on the evening February 16, 1984, in bed at her family home in Narooma, NSW. When her mother went to check on Renee at 4am the next morning she was missing.

It is believed Renee was abducted from her room in the early hours of February 17, 1984, by an unknown individual.

Robert Neville was last seen in the Wollongong area on September 30, 2008.

Saverio Ganino was last seen by his wife on Wednesday 22 March 2000 when he dropped her off at a bus stop on the Princes Highway, Unanderra.

He failed to attend an appointment later that day. Saverio's vehicle, a gun-metal grey Mitsubishi, was seen later that evening outside the gates of a dirt track at Mount Kembla. Extensive searches were made of this area and his vehicle was located, however there was no trace of Saverio.

Taeun Lee was last known to be snorkelling off Richmond Beach, South Durras, NSW on January 25, 2021. Mr Lee has not been seen since and there are serious concerns held for his safety.

Timothy James Martin was last seen on the 10th of Septmeber 1983 at a family address in Farmborough Heights, NSW. He left a note stating he was going fishing.Timothy has not been seen or heard from since.

Violet Burt left her home at Barrack Heights at 1pm on August 7, 1988, to go for a walk on the beach. She has not been seen since.

Wanda Rose Mitchell was last seen by her daughter sometime in 1983 leaving the Star Hotel in Milton, NSW. She has not been seen or heard from since.