Police say search aircraft are best chance of finding German tourist lost in Australian Outback
The last known sighting of the 26-year-old backpacker was June 29 at a general store in the wheat farming town of Beacon, 320 kilometers (200 miles) northeast of the Western Australia state capital Perth. Beacon had a population of 123 during the 2021 census.
Her friends and family have not heard from her since.
The discovery of her van Thursday in wilderness in the Karroun Hill Nature Reserve, around 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Beacon, had focused the search area, Western Australia Police Force Acting Insp. Jessica Securo said.
'The search has resumed in that Karroun Hill area. It will be concentrating around her vehicle and tracks that offshoot that area,' Securo told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
'Given the dense area, our aerial support is our best chance of finding her,' Securo added, referring to the dense forest.
The overnight temperature was 2.6 degrees Celsius (36.7 degrees Fahrenheit) in the area with no rain.
Police believe backpacker became lost
Police believe Wilga became lost and is not the victim of crime. Australian serial killer Ivan Milat, who died in prison in 2019, notoriously kidnapped and murdered seven backpackers from 1989 to 1992 including three Germans, two Britons and two Australians.
'The terrain is Outback country and there's large rocky outcrops. Although there's a number of tracks, you can see how it would be easy to become lost or disorientated in that area if you didn't know it well,' Securo said.
Wilga's van, a 1995 Mitsubishi Delica Star Wagon, was 35 kilometers (22 miles) from any major tracks, Securo said.
The van, which has solar panels and reserves of drinking water, had recovery boards under its rear wheels that are used to give bogged vehicles traction.
Securo couldn't say whether the van became bogged or broke down.
'It appears that as she was driving, she's likely to have become lost and then the car has suffered mechanical issues,' Securo said.
'It's hard to say how much she has taken' with her from the van, Securo said.
'We do know that she was planning to travel throughout regional W.A. and do some exploring through there,' Securo added.
State premier says police are moving swiftly
Western Australian Premier Roger Cook said 'police are throwing a lot of resources' at the search.
"They've moved swiftly now, and the search is ongoing and is resource-intensive. We want to bring Carolina home, and the police are doing everything they can,' Cook told reporters.
The reserve where Wilga is believed lost covers more than 300,000 hectares (740,000 acres).
Wilga has been traveling in Australia for two years and working at Western Australian mine sites.
Wilga's mother, Katja Will, who lives in the city of Castrop-Rauxel in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, has appealed for public help to find her daughter.
'Carolina is still sorely missed. If anyone has any information, please contact the police. Please keep your eyes open!!!' Will said on a post on an Western Australian Police Force social media site.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Aussie fisherman's illegal act 'costs him $12,000 and his boat'
An east coast fisherman has been hit with a whopping fine and had his boat destroyed after he was caught in a highly illegal act in the country's northeast last week. Officers from the Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) launched an investigation after reports of interference with fishing gear in Cairns. When they visited the man's property, they allegedly uncovered more than just stolen catches — a sawfish rostrum was found along with commercial gill nets. The sawfish's long, tooth-lined snout is its most distinctive feature. It's also protected by law, making its removal illegal. The man was slapped with a $12,000 fine and has lost his boat permanently. Authorities say it will be destroyed. "This man's poor decision to interfere with other people's crab pots has cost him $12,000 and his boat," QBFP Manager Greg Bowness said. Why is interfering with fishing gear illegal? Under Queensland law, touching or lifting another person's crab pot is illegal, even if the intention isn't to steal crabs. The Fisheries Act 1994 strictly prohibits interference with fishing gear that you don't own, to protect both the sustainability of marine life and the integrity of recreational and commercial fishing. While it may seem harmless, this kind of interference undermines the efforts of legitimate fishers and can damage livelihoods. Recreational and commercial fishers alike rely on the fairness of the system, being able to trust that their equipment, and whatever it catches, will be left undisturbed. Alarming haul pulled from major Aussie river MP says it's 'time to release the virus' as invasive species takes over Trailer full of fish exposes disturbing reality in Aussie waterways Sawfish are a protected species in Queensland waters due to their declining population. The discovery of a rostrum in the man's possession raised further questions about his fishing practices. Removing or possessing parts of these endangered animals is a serious offence and can attract additional penalties. Gill nets are also tightly controlled in Queensland due to their potential to harm non-target species, including turtles, dugongs and dolphins. This case serves as a reminder that fisheries officers have wide powers to investigate and prosecute breaches of fishing laws, and that the consequences for doing the wrong thing can be significant. Earlier this month, a Victorian copped a $2,000 fine after authorities discovered he was allegedly using live carp as fishing bait, a serious breach of the law. The Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) said he was also allegedly deploying illegal setlines, another significant offence. VFA said "given the risk of the man's fishing activity spreading carp to other Victorian waters", officers proceeded to inspect his property, where they located "a large seine net, and several setlines like those observed in Broken Creek". As a result, the fisher received fines of more than $2,000 for possessing live noxious aquatic species, using carp as live bait, and possessing commercial fishing equipment without authorisation. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
A woman has gone missing and police are concerned for her welfare
An appeal has been launched for help to track down a young woman who has gone missing. Police are looking to locate Sherine Dunn, stating there is concern for her welfare. Officers have released a description of the 22-year-old in the hopes of triggering the memory of anyone who may have seen her. They have encouraged anyone who knows of her whereabouts, or has any information to share which may be helpful to the search, to come forward and share it with police. A statement from South Wales Police reads as follows: "Sherine Dunn 22, from Swansea is missing and there is concern for her welfare. "Sherine is from the city centre but has links to Townhill, St Thomas and Bonymaen. "She is described as 5ft 2 inches tall, slim, with long hair, and has tattoos on her neck." Police ask anyone with information contacts them using the reference number 2500219822 via its live chat platform, by filling in an online form or calling 101. South Wales Police says it receives, on average, more than 8,000 missing persons reports every year. It says a missing person is defined as someone whose whereabouts cannot be established, and that they will be considered missing until they care located and their wellbeing or otherwise is established. Its website reads: "Often the missing person themselves does not consider themselves 'missing', however until they are sighted safe and well by police as a result of the concerns raised for them, they will be classed as a missing person. "While we appreciate our communities' concerns when a person goes missing, and the genuine offers of help and support, we kindly ask that the public don't conduct their own searches. "We ask this for a number of reasons; our searches are coordinated by highly-trained, well-equipped search experts who take an intelligence-led, methodical approach which everyone involved understands and follows." Get Swansea news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Aussie's cheeky stunt with parked cars prompts $750 fine warning
Aussies are being warned that a tactic to avoid parking fines can land culprits with fines as high as $750 and even jail time, after a cheeky video went viral online. The reminder comes after a NSW resident shared footage of water being poured over the tyres of chalk-marked cars to remove the substance. Ticket inspectors, who operate as authorised officers, use chalk to mark tyres as a method of tracking how long a vehicle has been parked in a specific spot. Some have branded the move "heroic", while others called for it to be "normalised". But Astor Legal's leading criminal lawyer Avinash Singh told Yahoo News it could be seen as an offence in the eyes of the law. This is because removing chalk could hinder a parking ranger from carrying out their duties and prevent them from issuing fines, he explained. "It depends on what state you're in," Singh told Yahoo. "In South Australia, it is definitely illegal, as there is a specific act that deals with it. In other states, there is no specific act, but there are some general pieces of legislation referred to as perverting the course of justice, or attempting to pervert the course of justice." Singh warned that anyone could be "opening themselves up to significant penalties" if caught in the act. Footage of the moment has been viewed over a million times, with many praising the tactic to help fellow Aussies avoid parking fines. Singh believes it's captured the public's attention because many would be wondering if it is really allowed. "The first thing you would think is 'is this even legal, and that's where the curiosity has come from," he said. So, what does the law say? South Australia is the only state that has a specific law that addresses this issue. Section 174AB of the Road Traffic Act 1961 makes it an offence to remove a parking inspector's chalk from a vehicle. The maximum fine for this is $750 if taken to court. According to Singh, the law was implemented because the practice of removing chalk became widespread among residents. In NSW, Section 319 Crimes Act 1900 makes it an offence to do any act, or make any omission, intending in any way to pervert the course of justice. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for 14 years if caught. In Queensland, Section 140 of the Criminal Code 1899 makes it an offence for a person to attempt to obstruct, prevent, pervert, or defeat the course of justice. The maximum penalty is seven years' jail. In Western Australia, Section 143 of the Criminal Code 1899 makes it an offence for a person to attempt to obstruct, prevent, pervert, or defeat the course of justice. The maximum penalty is seven years' jail. In Victoria, there is a common law offence of attempting to pervert the course of justice which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years' imprisonment. Despite the laws, Singh explained it would be hard to prove an offence had taken place. "Unless [the parking inspector] directly saw you or had some sort of footage, it would be almost impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt," he explained. He adds that chalking isn't the best way for inspectors to catch out drivers who have overstayed their welcome, and drivers can contest fines by asking for evidence they were correctly timed. "Chalking itself isn't the best method to use because there are some holes to exploit to get out of fines. What is better evidence these days is a time-stamped photograph," he said. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.