12-05-2025
Inquest to explore mystery of what happened to missing boatie Ashley McKellar
A CORONIAL inquest on Wednesday will attempt to provide answers to the mystery disappearance of Ashley McKellar, an experienced boatie who vanished without a trace after heading out of Swansea Heads on a clear day nearly two years ago.
Mr McKellar, 43, a popular member of the Lake Macquarie sailing community, an engineer and a master instructor and fourth degree black belt in karate, was last seen at Bolton Point about 8.30am on June 14, 2023.
Police believe Mr McKellar launched his boat, a Telewater 4.8 metre aluminium runabout, from the lake access at Bolton Point about 10.30am that day.
But by about 6.30pm, when he could not be contacted or located, his family raised the alarm.
Authorities launched a multi-agency search, including helicopter crews, water police, five Marine Rescue vessels and surf lifesavers and spent the following days scouring the coastline from Anna Bay to Norah Head.
Conditions were reportedly clear with light winds and half-metre seas and an Australian Maritime Safety Authority aircraft dropped datum marker buoys to assist with drift modelling to determine the search area.
However, the day after Mr McKellar was reported missing, his boat was found abandoned 20 nautical miles offshore.
He is suspected to have drowned.
But a coronial inquest in NSW State Coroner's Court on Wednesday will focus on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, whether he could still be alive and, if not, whether a manner of death can be determined.
Hunter Valley Martial Arts Centre at Warners Bay said in an online memorial that Mr McKellar had travelled extensively, including multiple times to Japan to study.
"Shihan Ashley McKellar, a fourth degree black belt, has trained in Chitokai karate since his early teen years," the memorial reads.
"He has travelled the world studying martial arts, spending a year at a Shaolin temple, training in Capoeira in Brazil and Tai Chi in Ireland.
"Shihan Ash was lost at sea in 2023.
"We will always remember his dedication, integrity, humility, and generosity.
"His contributions to Ryusei Chitokai Karate live on in our memories of him."
Scott Ellis, an old friend, described Mr McKellar as an "absolutely amazing person" who was "always smiling and full of life and energy" and recounted how the Bolton Point man had once spent six months in a martial arts monastery in order to get out of his comfort zone.
The coronial inquest is listed for a one-day hearing before Deputy State Corner Magistrate Rebecca Hosking.
A CORONIAL inquest on Wednesday will attempt to provide answers to the mystery disappearance of Ashley McKellar, an experienced boatie who vanished without a trace after heading out of Swansea Heads on a clear day nearly two years ago.
Mr McKellar, 43, a popular member of the Lake Macquarie sailing community, an engineer and a master instructor and fourth degree black belt in karate, was last seen at Bolton Point about 8.30am on June 14, 2023.
Police believe Mr McKellar launched his boat, a Telewater 4.8 metre aluminium runabout, from the lake access at Bolton Point about 10.30am that day.
But by about 6.30pm, when he could not be contacted or located, his family raised the alarm.
Authorities launched a multi-agency search, including helicopter crews, water police, five Marine Rescue vessels and surf lifesavers and spent the following days scouring the coastline from Anna Bay to Norah Head.
Conditions were reportedly clear with light winds and half-metre seas and an Australian Maritime Safety Authority aircraft dropped datum marker buoys to assist with drift modelling to determine the search area.
However, the day after Mr McKellar was reported missing, his boat was found abandoned 20 nautical miles offshore.
He is suspected to have drowned.
But a coronial inquest in NSW State Coroner's Court on Wednesday will focus on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, whether he could still be alive and, if not, whether a manner of death can be determined.
Hunter Valley Martial Arts Centre at Warners Bay said in an online memorial that Mr McKellar had travelled extensively, including multiple times to Japan to study.
"Shihan Ashley McKellar, a fourth degree black belt, has trained in Chitokai karate since his early teen years," the memorial reads.
"He has travelled the world studying martial arts, spending a year at a Shaolin temple, training in Capoeira in Brazil and Tai Chi in Ireland.
"Shihan Ash was lost at sea in 2023.
"We will always remember his dedication, integrity, humility, and generosity.
"His contributions to Ryusei Chitokai Karate live on in our memories of him."
Scott Ellis, an old friend, described Mr McKellar as an "absolutely amazing person" who was "always smiling and full of life and energy" and recounted how the Bolton Point man had once spent six months in a martial arts monastery in order to get out of his comfort zone.
The coronial inquest is listed for a one-day hearing before Deputy State Corner Magistrate Rebecca Hosking.
A CORONIAL inquest on Wednesday will attempt to provide answers to the mystery disappearance of Ashley McKellar, an experienced boatie who vanished without a trace after heading out of Swansea Heads on a clear day nearly two years ago.
Mr McKellar, 43, a popular member of the Lake Macquarie sailing community, an engineer and a master instructor and fourth degree black belt in karate, was last seen at Bolton Point about 8.30am on June 14, 2023.
Police believe Mr McKellar launched his boat, a Telewater 4.8 metre aluminium runabout, from the lake access at Bolton Point about 10.30am that day.
But by about 6.30pm, when he could not be contacted or located, his family raised the alarm.
Authorities launched a multi-agency search, including helicopter crews, water police, five Marine Rescue vessels and surf lifesavers and spent the following days scouring the coastline from Anna Bay to Norah Head.
Conditions were reportedly clear with light winds and half-metre seas and an Australian Maritime Safety Authority aircraft dropped datum marker buoys to assist with drift modelling to determine the search area.
However, the day after Mr McKellar was reported missing, his boat was found abandoned 20 nautical miles offshore.
He is suspected to have drowned.
But a coronial inquest in NSW State Coroner's Court on Wednesday will focus on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, whether he could still be alive and, if not, whether a manner of death can be determined.
Hunter Valley Martial Arts Centre at Warners Bay said in an online memorial that Mr McKellar had travelled extensively, including multiple times to Japan to study.
"Shihan Ashley McKellar, a fourth degree black belt, has trained in Chitokai karate since his early teen years," the memorial reads.
"He has travelled the world studying martial arts, spending a year at a Shaolin temple, training in Capoeira in Brazil and Tai Chi in Ireland.
"Shihan Ash was lost at sea in 2023.
"We will always remember his dedication, integrity, humility, and generosity.
"His contributions to Ryusei Chitokai Karate live on in our memories of him."
Scott Ellis, an old friend, described Mr McKellar as an "absolutely amazing person" who was "always smiling and full of life and energy" and recounted how the Bolton Point man had once spent six months in a martial arts monastery in order to get out of his comfort zone.
The coronial inquest is listed for a one-day hearing before Deputy State Corner Magistrate Rebecca Hosking.
A CORONIAL inquest on Wednesday will attempt to provide answers to the mystery disappearance of Ashley McKellar, an experienced boatie who vanished without a trace after heading out of Swansea Heads on a clear day nearly two years ago.
Mr McKellar, 43, a popular member of the Lake Macquarie sailing community, an engineer and a master instructor and fourth degree black belt in karate, was last seen at Bolton Point about 8.30am on June 14, 2023.
Police believe Mr McKellar launched his boat, a Telewater 4.8 metre aluminium runabout, from the lake access at Bolton Point about 10.30am that day.
But by about 6.30pm, when he could not be contacted or located, his family raised the alarm.
Authorities launched a multi-agency search, including helicopter crews, water police, five Marine Rescue vessels and surf lifesavers and spent the following days scouring the coastline from Anna Bay to Norah Head.
Conditions were reportedly clear with light winds and half-metre seas and an Australian Maritime Safety Authority aircraft dropped datum marker buoys to assist with drift modelling to determine the search area.
However, the day after Mr McKellar was reported missing, his boat was found abandoned 20 nautical miles offshore.
He is suspected to have drowned.
But a coronial inquest in NSW State Coroner's Court on Wednesday will focus on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, whether he could still be alive and, if not, whether a manner of death can be determined.
Hunter Valley Martial Arts Centre at Warners Bay said in an online memorial that Mr McKellar had travelled extensively, including multiple times to Japan to study.
"Shihan Ashley McKellar, a fourth degree black belt, has trained in Chitokai karate since his early teen years," the memorial reads.
"He has travelled the world studying martial arts, spending a year at a Shaolin temple, training in Capoeira in Brazil and Tai Chi in Ireland.
"Shihan Ash was lost at sea in 2023.
"We will always remember his dedication, integrity, humility, and generosity.
"His contributions to Ryusei Chitokai Karate live on in our memories of him."
Scott Ellis, an old friend, described Mr McKellar as an "absolutely amazing person" who was "always smiling and full of life and energy" and recounted how the Bolton Point man had once spent six months in a martial arts monastery in order to get out of his comfort zone.
The coronial inquest is listed for a one-day hearing before Deputy State Corner Magistrate Rebecca Hosking.
