Mackay tip leads to farm

THE 36-year mystery of how anti- drugs campaigner Donald Mackay met his death may lie beneath the soil of a lettuce farm near Hay, NSW.

Police descended on the farm, 150km from where the father of four and anti- drugs campaigner was murdered in his home town of Griffith on July 15, 1977.

Detectives have gathered supporting evidence to a tip-off received 12 months ago that Mr Mackay’s body may have been dumped in a disused well on the property following his murder outside the Griffith Hotel.

Forensics officers, unsolved homicides detectives and the AFP are digging a 30m by 50m area of farmland with faint hopes of success.

The search began on Wednesday and will continue for some days.

‘‘We need to be realistic,’’ Homicide commander det Supt Mick Willing said yesterday.

‘‘ This is the latest search after a number over many years.’’