Darren Garwood: Man missing from Mundaring Hills prompts heartbreaking plea from mother

West Australian

a day ago

A heartbroken mother has made a desperate plea to help find her adult son who is believed to have ventured into the Perth Hills four weeks ago.
Darren Garwood, 38, was last known to have left a home in Sawyers Valley on the morning of Sunday May 25. He was driving a white Ford Ranger utility with registration SW18692 when it is believed he travelled deep into bushland south of Great Eastern Highway.
Police are concerned Mr Garwood wasn't carrying enough resources when he is believed to have travelled into the forest areas around Mundaring — a landscape south of the highway which continues east through to York and south towards Beverley.
'Not knowing where he is, it is extremely, incredibly hard for us,' she said.
'As his mother, and also his father and the rest of our family, I'm pleading if anyone has any information, whether from before his disappearance or at any point over the past four weeks, we would be so deeply grateful for your help.'
'His last known location was somewhere in the Mundaring area, possibly within the national parks anywhere between Mundaring and York.'
His family urge anyone who travels in the locations — which is frequented by four-wheel drivers, campers and dirt bike riders — to keep an eye out for either either Mr Garwood or his vehicle.
Sergeant Tania Mackenzie, officer-in-charge of Mundaring Police Station, said aerial searches and officers driving around tracks in the area had failed to locate the missing man.
'So at this stage, Darren, since the 25th of May, has not accessed any bank accounts, has not used his mobile phone or any mobile phone that we are aware of,' she said.
'It is unusual, we know Darren spoke to family on the Saturday night, late on the night, and is normally in contact with family and friends, so it is unusual, and hence our concerns for his welfare.'
The area where Mr Garwood went missing:
Sgt Mackenzie said police were not treating his disappearance as suspicious.
'All we can ask is that people look out for his car — that's our best chance, (for) someone to see his white Ford Ranger in that bush land, and just to be cognisant of the fact that he's probably gone deeper into the bush land, rather than just on tracks.
'All the tracks have been covered, and he's not been located at this time.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.