Arrest in missing campers mystery

AN INVESTIGATION into missing Victorian high country campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay escalated this week, prompting a shock arrest.

Detectives from the missing persons squad swooped on a 55-year-old Caroline Springs man in connection with the pair’s baffling disappearance in March 2020.

The man, reportedly an experienced bushman, was arrested at 5.30pm on Monday in an area of remote country north of Sale.

It is believed the case escalated unexpectedly in recent days and that Victoria Police’s special operations group was called in at short notice, flying to the area in two helicopters to make the arrest.

The SOG is generally used for high-risk arrests.

Mr Hill’s best mate Rob Ashlin said it was a “huge relief” to hear of an arrest.

Mr Ashlin was the last person to speak to Mr Hill, on March 20 about 6pm on his amateur radio network.

“We have been waiting a long time,” he said. “It certainly is very interesting, the arrest. Police will need to make sure it was him and hopefully they can lay charges. If they have arrested him, they must have a bit on him.

“The right thing will be done, if he is the guilty party – they have got to get the right people.”

Vicky Birch, of the Pakenham Country Women’s Association, said the arrest was a welcome development.

“It’s great news,” she said. It comes after the campers’ families in October told of the enormous pain caused by what had happened.

“It’s really hard. It’s not getting any better. It’s not knowing … you’re just stuck,” Mr Hill’s daughter, Debbie, said.

Mrs Clay’s sister, Jill, said: “We need to know what happened and we need to know where their bodies are so we can put them to rest.”

The breakthrough comes after a painstaking 20-month investigation, which began after 74-year-old Mr Hill, of Drouin, and Mrs Clay, 73, of Pakenham, vanished from the Wonnangatta Valley.

Mr Hill and Ms Clay were last known to be alive on the evening of March 20 last year.