Latest news with #backpacker
SBS Australia
2 days ago
- SBS Australia
Remarkable survival story prompts reminders on travel safely in Australia's outback
"She spent one day with the car after it became bogged? and then she moved on from there, so she was essentially out in the wilderness for eleven nights which is significant and just brings us back to how lucky she was that she was located safely and well and how thankful we are that we managed to find her. She basically looked at the direction of the sun and tried to head west, thinking that would be her best bet to come across someone or a road." That's Western Australia's Acting Detective Inspector Jessica Securo at a press conference over the weekend. She detailed just how a 26-year-old German backpacker survived the brutal 12-day ordeal alone in the outback. Carolina Wilga has been discharged from a Perth hospital after surviving nearly two weeks lost in remote Western Australia. She was treated for dehydration and minor injuries - she is safe, walking, and has reunited with loved ones. Detective Inspector Securo says family members in Germany were overwhelmed. "They were in disbelief that a community can come together and just throw every resource at locating their daughter." From the hospital, Ms Wilga revealed why she abandoned her vehicle: she hit her head after losing control of her van, and strayed from the bogged car in a state of confusion. In a police statement, Ms Wilga also thanked the motorist who found her last Friday, as well as police, searchers and medical staff. Tania was the woman who found her. She told ABC News of the moment she saw Ms Wilga. "I knew it was her straight away. I was coming back from Beacon because I'd been down to pick up my trailer and yeah she was on the side of the road, waving her hand." Ms Wilga left her hometown of Castrop-Rauxel in Germany with big dreams, to see every corner of this vast country. She'd walked for 11 days - sleeping in a cave, surviving by drinking from rainwater and puddles on the ground. Caro Ryan is the Bush Search and Rescue Deputy Unit Commander at SES New South Wales. She recommends the TREK method for adventure seekers looking to travel in Australia. "Trek acronym, TREK, and it stands for T, which is take everything you need. So that's going to be your food and your water. Take a little bit extra, you don't know if you're going to get delayed. Take a first aid kit, take some warm layers of clothes, take a map and a compass or a good way of navigating - you might have a digital app, something like that. Make sure you've definitely then got your battery pack, a power bank for your phone to keep that phone working." She says a paper map is helpful, and there are good packing lists available online. "Then the R is for register your intention, which is really just a fancy way of saying tell somebody where you're going. It's really important. So not only tell someone where you're going, but get specific. Tell them what track you're going to do in what area, where you're going to leave your car, how long you're going to be, and let them know when you're back as well." Ms Ryan says having a personal locator beacon can be a lifesaver. "Then E stands for emergency communications. So you think about these wild places we have all across Australia so many times we don't have mobile phone coverage, and having a way of communicating if something goes wrong or even just to let someone know you're running late is essential. So having a PLB, that's a personal locator beacon, it's a small device, fits in the palm of your hand. You can either buy them or rent them and they're absolute lifesavers." And lastly, familiarise yourself with the intended journey. "Finally we've got K, which is know your route and stick to it. So that's really about planning the trip that's right for you, for your experience, for the skills that you might have for your level of fitness and making sure you've got good information about that track that you're going to be doing as well. There's a great system in Australia, we've got the Australian walking track grading system, and our tracks all across Australia are graded from one to five, whereas five is really hard." Sergeant Jim Armstrong is from the WA Police Emergency Operations Unit. He says research and preparation is key - from informing someone that you're going to choosing the right type of clothing and equipment. "One thing that we recommend is offline mapping. So with most phones that have Google, there'll be a mapping feature and in the settings there, there's a thing called offline mapping and what you can do is actually select an area that you're intending to go to and you won't need to have phone coverage for your mapping to still function." And Sergeant Armstrong says people often try to do things they're not equipped to do. "We often see people attempting to do some serious four-wheel drive off-road adventures in their commuter vehicles, which are just totally unsuitable for the conditions. So it's important that your vehicle is suitable and it's also mechanically sound and checked out before you leave. Now with regard to your advanced planning for your trip, have a look at the resources you have and also have a self-rescue plan if something were to go wrong and an idea of what you intend to do." It's always recommended to stay with the vehicle but if that isn't possible, he says, leave a clear trail. "If you reach a point at a track like a fork or you have to make a decision to go left or right, leave a pile of rocks on the track with an arrow with some sticks, just pointing in the direction you've gone. It just makes things a lot easier when we're out searching if we come across something like that, we know which way to keep searching. When you are camped up for the night, consider a small fire. Obviously we don't want fires to get out of control, but a small fire with the smoke and the heat can be easily spotted by a plane or a helicopter." Sergeant Armstrong says any reflective device like a mirror can attract attention to your location. Despite everything she's been through, WA Police say Ms Wilga still loves Australia and has plans to see the rest of the country, including travelling across to the east coast.
Times
3 days ago
- Times
28 of the best hotels in Rome for 2025
Nowhere has a sense of style quite like Rome. It's at once shabby and showy, glitzy and grungy, riotously hedonistic and refreshingly honest — and somehow manages to transition from one to the other in the space of a few streets. That's one of the great joys of this city: if you want to live it up in unbridled luxury, drinking designer cocktails and dining at Michelin-starred restaurants, then you can most certainly do so, but in many ways you'll have just as much fun getting lost along the backstreets while scoffing a slice of £2 pizza from a hole-in-the-wall café. The same goes for the city's hotels. If opulent grandes dames and sleek boutique beauties are what you're after, then you'll find no shortage of choices, but for those keeping an eye on their euros there are also enough backpacker hostels and budget-pleasing pensions to make a trip possible. Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit; summer can be stiflingly hot. The key is to decide in which neighbourhood you want to stay. The historic centre, lively Trastevere and areas near the Vatican are ever popular, but more residential neighbourhoods, such as Monti and Trieste-Salario, are gradually gaining ground too. These are our favourite Roman pads for 2025. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue £££ | SPA | POOL Top-hatted doormen stand sentry at this Rocco Forte property, one of the best addresses for a stay in Rome. Its interior combines two enduringly popular styles — Roman classicism and art deco — in an unusual but successful pairing applied across communal spaces and 120 rooms and suites. Botanical wallpapers hint at the hotel's real ace card: its magnificent terraced courtyard garden. Surrounded by mature pines and citrus trees and overrun with vines, it's an enchanted spot — an inner-city oasis that lures a glamorous guest list. Service is exceptional, whether you're ordering a signature cocktail in the Stravinskij Bar or chatting with the concierge about a tour. ££ This stylish, suites-only hotel is a few minutes's walk from Piazza del Popolo, on one of Rome's most picturesque cobbled streets, the tree-lined Via Margutta, which is known for its art galleries. The look inside is equally beguiling, with a colour palette reminiscent of a box of Terry's All Gold and furniture that evokes the elegant post-war look of Italy. There's a 24-hour concierge on the front desk and breakfast is served in EMME, the downstairs restaurant, which has a garden terrace well suited to Rome's balmy nights. Read our full review of Margutta 19 ££ Stay at this inordinately good-looking and keenly priced hotel and you'll be recommending it to friends for years to come. Each of its 11 rooms is beautifully designed yet utterly distinct, combining panelled walls and wing-backed headboards with bold colours and furniture. Its greenhouse-like restaurant is understandably popular with locals — as is the speakeasy-style cocktail bar and atmospheric lounge garden. Located away from the main thoroughfares in up-and-coming Aventine, it's nevertheless within walking distance of many of the key sights and a 15-minute stroll from the Colosseum. • Our go-to guide to the best of Rome £££ | SPA Less than a ten-minute walk from the Trevi Fountain and almost as spectacular, this historic mansion built by Gabriella Rasponi, a relative of Napoleon, wears its illustrious aristocratic heritage well. The salons are magnificent, their walls hung with 16th-century tapestries. Bedrooms are grand and feature original furniture, while in the basement there is a spa inspired by Roman baths. While the overall look is elegantly historical, the rooftop terrace has been renovated in a more modern style — providing sanctuary for weary sightseers from dawn until dusk, it has multiple Jacuzzis and sunloungers, plus a free minibar. £ | POOL Fans of kitsch will feel right at home at the Rome branch of the popular Mama Shelter group, whose hotels showcase a sense of wit and playfulness. Mama's trademark camp colour schemes and retro design are very much to the fore here. In the rooms, peacock-print fabrics meet pastel pinks and pistachio; the lobby looks like a cross between an upholstery swatch shop and a street artist's sketchpad; and the pool resembles one you might find on a Wes Anderson film set. There's a winter garden bar-bistro in which to chill, a rather good pizzeria with a hint of the Fifties and a knockout rooftop bar overlooking St Peter's Basilica. It's not to everyone's taste, for sure, but undeniably fun and rates are affordable by Rome standards. The location near the Vatican (walks of about 15 minutes to its museums and 30 minutes to the square) is excellent too. £ An oasis of peace in bustling, scooter-thronged Trastevere, Santa Maria is set around a courtyard shaded by orange trees and fragrant shrubs. The site was a convent during the 17th century and retains that air of serenity and calm. In fact, with its hefty beams and cloistered setting, it's hard to believe that you're in the Italian capital, walking distance from many of the most popular sights. Choose from simple, pastel-coloured rooms through to suites suitable for families; all overlook the courtyard, where the sumptuous buffet breakfast is served on sunny days. This is an honest, down-to-earth hotel that offers super value (at least by Roman standards). ££ This hotel has serious fashion pedigree — its rooms and apartments were individually designed by Anna Venturini Fendi, a co-creator of the brand. It is housed in an art nouveau villa on the left bank of the Tiber, and its frescoes, stuccowork and marble stand alongside monochrome artworks and mid-century furniture. Contained within the same building is the two-Michelin-starred Enoteca La Torre, offering tasting menus of five or seven courses. If you opt for the latter and feel in need of redemptive exercise, Laetitia also offers bike rental — it's an easy pedal into the historic core of the city or a slightly more challenging one along the Appian Way. £££ A sprawling square at the bottom of the Spanish Steps, Piazza di Spagna has been an essential stop on Roman holidays since the days of the Grand Tour. Occupying the third floor of a 15th-century palazzo, its namesake hotel brings things right up to date with art-focused rooms that are part place to stay, part installation. Eye-catching pieces hang over the beds and much of the striking furniture was designed by the owner, Stefania Grippo; most of what you see is for sale. It's a good pick for couples interested in design — and there's also a two-person Turkish bath on site. In summer, the hotel accepts only direct bookings. £ Sure, it looks like an office block and it's part of a big, budget urban hotel chain, but this affordable hotel has a huge amount going for it. For a start, it's right in the heart of the city, a stone's throw from the banks of the Tiber. And, like other citizenMs, the design has a stripped-down, vaguely Scandi feel — it's all about functional furniture offset by pops of colour helping to liven up an aesthetic that would otherwise feel bland. The beds are comfy, the canteenM bar serves food until late and there's a rooftop bar for drinks — what's not to like? • Discover our full guide to Italy £££ | SPA | POOL A quarry's worth of travertine marble, a cocktail menu named after Roman emperors and a set of traditional baths deep in the basement — it's hard to imagine a more Italian hotel than this upscale Six Senses, which opened on the Via del Corso in 2023. Wellness and sustainability are front and centre — the hotel has a sustainability manager who runs daily tours and the spa provides a range of wacky biohacking tools alongside traditional treatments. If you can't afford a room here (and few can), come for a drink on the smashing Notos rooftop terrace or for dinner at Bivium, arranged like a Roman courtyard in the centre of the hotel. Read our full review of Six Senses Rome £ | POOL There aren't many hotels in Rome with pools — fewer still at this price — but the one at the Palm Gallery is a cracker, situated on the rooftop of an adjacent building and fringed by greenery. The hotel is housed in a Liberty-style villa built in 1905, with decor that mixes influences from Morocco and the Middle East, from wrought ironwork to inlaid tables. Each room has a distinct look — the best two are Terrazza, which has a private terrace, and Oasis, which overlooks the garden and is big enough to accommodate a family. Close to one of Rome's most underrated parks, it's also a short walk to Villa Torlonia, where you can see Mussolini's family home, with a scattering of palm and pine trees. Read our full review of Palm Gallery Hotel £££ This tucked-away design hotel has become something of a favourite among high-net-worth individuals holidaying in the Eternal City, and it's not hard to see why. It's next to Palazzo Borghese, and some of the 18 rooms peer into its private garden, giving guests a bird's-eye view of the classical statuary and well-tended topiary that other visitors miss. The scene inside is equally easy on the eye, with the 16th-century bones of the building complemented by art deco and mid-century elements and a smattering of playful portraiture. Another highlight is the bar-restaurant serving Italian classics, from an unbeatable negroni to cut-above rigatoni, in a space that spills onto a leafy courtyard. Read our full review of Hotel Vilon £££ | SPA | POOL Despite its relatively central location, this is a proper resort hotel and, while part of an international chain, feels distinctly Roman too. Guests get their first glimpse of this sprawling pink palazzo along a drive lined with olive trees, and the surrounding Mediterranean gardens create a sense of welcome openness. There are two outdoor pools, numerous restaurants and bars — Amaro, a vision in teal, is particularly delightful — plus a kids' club and a Clarins spa. The 116 rooms vary in size but are uniformly neutral in look, and some have views towards Vatican City, five minutes' walk away. • Best affordable hotels in Rome• Best Airbnbs in Rome £ Since this hotel is in the middle of central Rome, its guests won't have to walk far to reach any of the historic monuments, making it ideal for sightseeing with children. Stendhal is also one of only a few reasonably priced city hotels with multiple room options for families, from suites to deluxe connecting rooms. Its merits aren't all practical, though. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly, and the interiors are appealing, ranging in style from time-honoured elegance to more contemporary boutique. The library bar is a cosy place in which to celebrate once the children have gone to bed, with windows over Via del Tritone for people-watching. Read our full review of Hotel Stendhal £££ | SPA After a full renovation in 2019, this five-star hotel in a 19th-century palazzo has new vim and vigour. Its 78 rooms are gleamingly white, with the brand's signature beds — still deliriously comfortable — overlooked by iridescent ceiling panels. The champagne bar is new, but the jewel in the crown is the rooftop restaurant — with black and terracotta floor tiles and a garden-themed look to reflect the verdant view, Settimo overlooks the 100-acre garden at Villa Borghese, as well as the dome of St Peter's Basilica. The menu is resolutely Italian, with classics such as spaghetti carbonara done exceptionally well. ££ Its name is perhaps the least appealing aspect of this impeccably stylish ten-suite hotel. The 'G' is shared with a sister property, PalazzinaG in Venice, and 'Rough' indicates its stripped-back aesthetic. Patinated walls are hung with bold and textural works of art; the Pasquino suite even features graffiti left from a demolition party that took place during the renovation. Aimed squarely at urban hipsters, the hotel offers a range of offbeat experiences, from the chance to make a leather bag with a leading designer to an urban picnic chaperoned by a guide in a golf cart. There's a gold-bricked bar on the ground floor that is perfect for the aperitivo hour. ££ With an unbeatable location in the city's historic core, Palazzo Navona is practically neighbours with the Pantheon and a 15-minute stroll from the Roman Forum. You can see the history of Rome spread before you from the hotel's panoramic rooftop, where canapés and cocktails are served each day between 6pm and 9pm. Inside, the look is more modern Italian, as bright white beds contrast with dark-wood floors. All rooms are soundproofed, making it peaceful by day and night. The buffet breakfast is the best available at any of Rome's four-star hotels. £ Among the vintage shops and independent cafés of Monti stands this fittingly characterful hotel, with 15 — you guessed it — design-forward rooms. Although varying in size, all are lovely, with parquet floors, exposed brickwork and industrial-style lights, plus pale bedding and colourful patterned fabrics. Take your pick between one overlooking the rooftops of Rome or the leafy courtyard garden. The latter is an ideal place for a cocktail, as is the blue, mirrored bar. From the breakfast room to the lobby, the communal spaces encourage lingering, but there are complimentary bikes for those raring to explore — the young staff really know the city and are full of good ideas. ££Perhaps the coolest address in the city, this hip hangout — a riot of Italian marble and velvet banquettes — gives the perfect excuse to check out the Trieste-Salario neighbourhood, just north of the Borghese Gardens. Grab an espresso from Cugino bakery then take one of their bikes for a spin around the park, returning to the Elio restaurant for some scrambled eggs and meatballs — it's one of the few places in the city serving a decent weekend brunch. The 192 rooms are very much on-brand with the Hoxton aesthetic — sized from Shoebox to Roomy, with parquet floors, retro-inspired furniture and a playful, vintage-chic style. The breakfast-in-a-bag leaves a bit to be desired, though. £££ | SPA Its old-world charm has lovers and haters, but the Hassler remains one of the city's loftiest hotels — until it was joined by the Rocco Forte, it had held a pinnacle position atop the Spanish Steps and, ergo, unrivalled views. It is still run by the sixth-generation Wirths, whose Swiss warmth and hospitality extends to the staff. Its Imago restaurant is Michelin-starred. In 2018 renovations lifted the oppressive feel of mahogany and marble, updating all the belle époque opulence with a dose of art deco, without ruffling any feathers. Its 81 rooms include the monochrome Presidential Suite Trinita' di Monti. £££ | SPA With its illuminated golden ceiling, Hotel Eden is the Roman master of cinematic glamour near Via Veneto, once patronised by King Alfonso XIII of Spain, Federico Fellini and old-school Hollywood. In 2017 the Dorchester Collection took over, reanimating the great lobby, library and 98 rooms with pastoral frescoes, velvet divans and clean-lined marble. In 2024 Salvatore Bianco was appointed executive chef and, at La Terrazza, has introduced two new tasting menus for guests. The spa offers treatments by Valmont and HobePergh, while the rooftop has widescreen views of St Peter's. £££ | SPA There is no real outside space and no showstopper views, but this intimate townhouse with 27 rooms and suites just behind Via del Corso is a strong contender, adored by addicts of Ori Kafri's bespoke Italian brand — when in Rome, style is everything. Michele Bonan, who designed its hotels in Capri and Rome, is responsible for the cool, gentleman's club feel. In the lounge, the mix of mid-century chairs and marble statues (here a touch of kitsch) recall Anthony Minghella's The Talented Mr Ripley. Bathrooms are a dapper two-tone of grey and white marble. The all-day JK Café, informal service and the stroll to the Spanish Steps complete the feel of having a 'place' in Rome. Read our full review of JK Place Rome £££ The Lungarno Collection had always been a very Florentine affair — it had six properties in Florence before it opened Portrait Roma. This suites-only hotel has 14 pieds-à-terre with parquet, leather stools and black-and-white photography designed by Florentine Michele Bonan, whose reference is Fifties-era Pitti Palace. It's two sashays from the Spanish Steps, above the Ferragamo store on Via dei Condotti. And that's not even the prize: there's a panoramic terrace and a dedicated 'lifestyle team' on hand before departure to organise Rome stays 'au couture', as well as New York-style room service. £££ | POOL What do you get when the noble Malaspina dynasty's belle époque villa meets the witty, contemporary designer Antonio Giradi? Roman decadence on the banks of the Tiber for the 21st century, that's what. This Liberty-style hotel and agent provocateur pays tongue-in-cheek homage to its socialite past with wood panelling, Italian objets d'art, grand chandeliers, contemporary art, a rococo bar and a nightclub. It also has a coveted pool. Its 29 rooms come in blue or green velvets, and it hosts the second outlet of Pacifico restaurant (a fun, Peruvian foray away from Roman cuisine). The cool district of Prati is just across the river. ££ In terms of singing praise, Hotel Maalot has two arias: it's by the Trevi Fountain and it debuted in the palazzo of the opera maestro Gaetano Donizetti (composer of L'elisir d'amore), so it had to be grand. And it is, via a peacockish version of the British style once adopted by Romans. Downstairs spaces are low-lit and sexy, with dark parquet, velvets and chandeliers. The palm-filled restaurant has a glorious glass ceiling. And its 30 different rooms are light-filled, with feature bedheads, art deco pieces and bathrooms in Calacatta Arabesco marble. Other high notes include a fitness centre and proximity to the acclaimed Baccano restaurant. ££ Another sexy Roman affair, designed by Antonio Girardi, DOM's 16th-century palazzo facing the cobblestones of Via Giulia in Regola was once a Claretian monastery — its name is an acronym for Deo Optimum Maximo ('To God, the Best and Greatest'). A kind of virile Roman gothic reigns here, with noirish lighting, crushed velvets, Venetian mirrors, Man Rays and stag antlers. Big game is the bar's theme, and there's a whisky and cigar lounge along with 18 rooms and suites. Two of the trendiest young chefs in Rome run the stylish Verve restaurant. £££ | SPA | POOL For his second grand hotel in Rome, Sir Rocco Forte had to top his first. He did that in 2019 by opening in an 18th-century palazzo on the Spanish Steps next to the Hassler. This time the wallpaper-and-monochrome-marble aesthetic of Tommaso Ziffer and Olga Polizzi was channelled through the prism of the Grand Tour, with copious velvets, busts and maps in 104 rooms, plus a thermal spa. For some of the best twilight views in the city head to seventh-floor Cielo, for cocktails and small seafood plates, or ground-floor Café Ginori, where all the dishes are served on tableware by the renowned Italian porcelain maker Ginori 1735. It really is one of those no-expense-spared kind of hotels — and if you can afford the budget-busting price tag, it's a Rome experience to remember. £££ Fendi's seven haute-couture pieds-à-terre are above its flagship outlet — an immaculate wedding cake of a palazzo — on Via dei Condotti, near the Trevi Fountain, the restoration of which was funded by the fashion house's foundation. The interiors are Rome according to Fendi; in the suites, pieces by big-name design showstoppers such as Fritz Hansen and Gio Ponti are mixed with furniture from the brand's Casa line. Limited-edition Fendi bags and Karl Lagerfeld's photos of the city are the art. Hairdryers are Bosch, the fourth-floor restaurant (Zuma) is Japanese and the Fendi-clad staff at the travertine-marble desk are fabulously connected. • Best things to do in Rome• Best restaurants in Rome Additional reporting by Cathy Adams, Julie Alpine and Oliver Berry What's your favourite hotel in Rome? Let us know in the comments below
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Peter Falconio: 'Everyone knows who he is, he will never be forgotten'
West Yorkshire's picturesque Holme Valley lies around 10,000 miles from the dry, dusty expanse of Australia's Northern Territory where backpacker Peter Falconio was shot and killed 24 years ago this despite the passage of time, the 28-year-old has never been forgotten in the rural but tight-knit community where he grew up. Outside the Post Office in New Mill, about six miles south of Huddersfield, a plain wooden bench stands as a tribute to Peter bench - dedicated to "the memory of our son" - is sited outside the business his family used to run and not far from the Falconio offers a place to sit and remember Peter, but it also offers a tangible memorial to a young man whose body has never been killer, Bradley Murdoch, who died on Tuesday, has never revealed what he did with the 28-year-old's remains after he shot him dead on a remote road near Alice Springs. In a statement, the Falconios said they felt "relief" at hearing of Murdoch's death, adding that they "still hold out hope" their son's remains can one day be Mill resident Angela Holmes, who has known the Falconios for most of her life, recalls how the 2001 murder "devastated everybody" in the community."He was a lovely bloke who came from a lovely family," the 62-year-old says."People feel sorry for the family having no closure. (Murdoch) knew he was dying and so he should have done the right thing and told of where he put Peter's body."Peter will never be forgotten. Every time you mention his name, everyone knows who he is." John Keddy, 76, moved to New Mill a year before Mr Falconio's death and regarded his family as "nice and cheerful".He too remembers a "state of shock and sadness" affecting the locals."When it's someone in your own community, you never think it's going to happen, something like that". Mr Falconio was travelling across the Australian Outback with his girlfriend, Joanne Lees, also from Huddersfield, in July vehicle was pulled over by mechanic and truck driver Murdoch near the town of Barrow Creek, who shot the University of Brighton graduate and tied up Ms Lees, before she later managed to escape after hiding in bushland. Murdoch was convicted of the killing in December 2005 by a unanimous jury verdict and was also found guilty of the assault and attempted kidnap of Ms Lees. He appealed unsuccessfully against his conviction and would never admit responsibility for his actions. Neil Atkinson, who was news editor at The Huddersfield Examiner at the time of the killing, recalls the world's media converging on Holme Valley's "very quiet" villages. "It was almost like a TV drama being played out in real life," he recalls. "It was a murder on the other side of the world, but it was people who came from Huddersfield involved. People were avidly following it."Huddersfield is and always has been a close-knit and friendly community and if something happens to someone from Huddersfield, they react with surprise, shock and anger, whatever it happens to be."Mr Atkinson, who worked at the Examiner for 42 years, believes it was the "unusual" circumstances of the murder which kept it intermittently in the news headlines over the two decades that followed."Most murders you'd find there is a motive and most of them are connected to the victim," he adds."This was such a strange scenario with this young couple many thousands of miles from home enjoying what you'd think was a dream holiday, and then something so terrible happens to them." Damian Brook, a Conservative councillor for Holme Valley South, worked in Huddersfield for West Yorkshire Police at the time and remembers the case well. "Peter was well known in the Holme Valley community and the shock did affect people in the area," he says."Clearly it's very disappointing for the family that they weren't told where the remains were. Until you're able to bury someone properly, it's very difficult to get that closure."The Falconios said that despite hoping Murdoch would reveal where their son's remains were they had little faith in him ever doing so. While his death has "lifted a weight" on the family, their questions remain painfully unanswered. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Last evil act of my son's Outback killer as he dies in prison still refusing to reveal the secret of where he left Peter's body 24 years ago
The phone rang at the family home in Hepworth, near Huddersfield, during the early hours of July 15, 2001. Joan Falconio answered it, eager for news from her second-youngest son, Peter, who was travelling in Australia with his girlfriend, Joanne Lees. They'd spoken two days previously when the pair were in Alice Springs, a remote Outback town. 'We had a lovely talk together; he was laughing and joking – making plans as he always did,' she recalled. 'Joanne was beside him and I could hear her laughing. They sounded so happy.' But it wasn't Peter on the line. It was the Australian police. Two English backpackers had been ambushed on a highway near a place called Barrow Creek. The male was 28; the female 27. She had been tied up but escaped and was found alive. He had been shot and was missing, presumed dead. 'I knew Peter and Joanne were on that road but didn't want to believe it was them,' Joan, now 78, would later say. 'I prayed it wasn't. Two hours later, the phone rang again – it was them. Peter was gone. There was a pool of blood on the road. I fell to my knees.' Peter Falconio's murder sent shockwaves around the world. Here was an ordinary young British backpacker, supposedly on an adventure of a lifetime thousands of miles away from home, who had been snatched by a stranger and brutally killed in cold blood. But what ensued was even more agonising for his parents, Joan and Luciano. For not only would their Peter never come home, but there was no trace of his body. Rigorous police searches started, scouring barren scrubland around the Stuart Highway, south of Darwin, in the searing Australian heat – but to no avail. It would be another four agonising years before Bradley John Murdoch, a mechanic and drug smuggler with a chain of previous convictions, was finally arrested and tried for murdering Peter and the attempted kidnap of his girlfriend, Joanne. This, the Falconio family hoped, was it – they would finally find out what happened and get the chance to bring him home to Yorkshire. But Murdoch, who was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 28 years in December 2005, pleaded not guilty at his trial – and refused to reveal what he did with Peter's body. For 20 long years, the Falconios have been waiting, desperately hoping that he might change his mind and tell them the truth. Now, however, they know that will never come to pass. For Murdoch, who died on Tuesday aged 67, has taken his cruel secret to his grave. The killer, who had terminal throat cancer, had last month been moved from the Alice Springs Correctional Centre to a nearby hospital, where his condition deteriorated over several weeks. There, he became an emaciated shell of his hulking former self, confined to a wheelchair and drifting in and out of consciousness. Speaking exclusively to the Mail yesterday, Peter's father said the family preferred not to think about their son's killer. 'He's not a good person,' said the former postmaster, now 83. 'He's cruel, he's a coward and we feel no sadness for him.' He added: 'He should have admitted his crime. He is the only one who knows where my son is. I don't think he shared anything with Australian police but he may have told someone – I really hope he has. I am in pain for my wife. I hope I find my son, for both of us... We need an end while we are still here.' He added: 'I don't wish anybody dead because you have only got one life. I'll tell you what I think, I wish [Murdoch] left something to help me find [Peter].' Luciano is not the only one who had been hoping for answers. Police in Australia's Northern Territory had repeatedly tried to speak to Murdoch in the weeks before his death, with no success. In a bid for fresh information, officials even issued a new reward for tips, offering A$500,000 (£240,000) to anyone who could lead officials to Peter's remains. 'It is deeply regrettable that Murdoch has died without, as far as we are aware, ever disclosing the location of Peter Falconio's remains,' a police spokesman said yesterday. 'His silence has denied the Falconio family the closure they have so long deserved.' It had been rumoured recently that a 'deathbed confession' might be on the cards. Robin Bowles, an Australian true crime author who interviewed Murdoch for a book in 2022, claimed he was planning on making an 'explosive' revelation in his final days. What he might have been planning to say, or if he did divulge anything before taking his final breath, is not clear. But the Mail can reveal his mind had been on other things. Rather than thinking of Joan and Luciano, and the son he brutally took from them, his focus was on his own son – with whom we can exclusively reveal he had reconnected after years of estrangement. The son, aged 40, had been visiting his father on his deathbed since they made contact last year. Murdoch married the boy's mother, Dianne, in July 1984. They had their only son before separating in 1986, reportedly because Murdoch was violent towards her. In recent weeks, father and son were said to be enjoying spending their final time together. Murdoch, who died on the palliative care wing at Alice Springs Hospital, had also been allowed to leave the hospital while escorted around the Outback town – a move that raised eyebrows, given his refusal to divulge the location of Peter's remains. Under the Northern Territory's 'no body, no parole' law, passed in 2016, authorities had promised the Falconios he would never walk free. Had he not fallen ill, he wouldn't have been eligible for parole until 2032. The Mail can reveal his final days were far more lenient than his time in Holtze Prison, Darwin, where he was once under maximum security with other notorious felons, killers and child sex offenders. He was moved several times during his incarceration, with authorities deliberately trying to break any sense of familiar routine so he could never get too 'settled'. A source told the Mail the constant upheaval was because he was a 'master manipulator' – and authorities feared he might take advantage of others and find a way to escape. 'People got to like him,' the source says. 'He got on well with anyone.' Known for his handyman skills, he earned a reputation as a compliant, polite prisoner with few misconduct or disciplinary breaches. 'He [could] fix anything, which made him very popular in the workshops of every jail he went to,' the Mail's contact reveals. News of Murdoch's popularity behind bars will be yet another blow to the Falconio family, who revealed last month they had not been informed about his cancer diagnosis, instead learning about it from media reports. Ever since the criminal was first identified as the prime suspect in Peter's murder, when DNA evidence linked him to the scene, Murdoch's name – and his refusal to reveal what happened that fateful day – cast a shadow over the Falconios' grief. They had, as any parents might, harboured their own worries about Peter and Joanne's big adventure around Asia, America and Australia when they set off in November 2000. Australia is, after all, more than 9,000 miles from Huddersfield, and there were all sorts of stories about backpackers meeting grisly ends in the remotest stretches of the Outback. But never in their worst nightmares did they imagine the fate that would befall Peter and Joanne. The pair met in a Huddersfield nightclub in 1996 and both moved to Hove, near Brighton, in 1998. Peter was studying for a building construction management degree at Brighton University, while Joanne worked as a travel agent. They saved for months for their 12-month trip abroad, taking in Nepal, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia before arriving in Sydney on a working visa in January 2001. Despite his love of adventure, Peter was a homebird. He visited his parents most weekends, and his three brothers – Paul, Nicholas and Mark – all lived within two miles of the family home. When abroad, he called home every few days; the only time he hadn't in the past was when he was trekking in the Himalayas. And so, travelling in their orange VW Kombi van along the Stuart Highway, heading for the Devil's Marbles – a scenic conservation site northwards towards Darwin – a pit stop at a phone box would no doubt have been on the agenda. But they never made it that far. Around 7.30pm on Saturday, July 14, they spotted a white Toyota blinking its hazard lights at them from behind. They duly pulled over to the side of the road. According to testimony from Joanne, the driver – now known to be Murdoch – told them sparks were coming out of their exhaust, and coaxed Peter round to the rear of the van. She moved into the driver's seat, ready to rev the engine, but heard a shot. Then, Murdoch appeared at the front of the van and threatened her with a handgun. He cable-tied her hands and dragged her into the back of his Toyota. She managed to escape while he was distracted, hiding in bushland for five hours until she flagged down a truck driver, who took her to safety, at 12.35am. After Peter's disappearance, conspiracy theories raged – including one which painted Joanne as a suspect, and another suggesting Peter had faked his own death and was in fact alive. The case – the subject of countless documentaries, podcasts and films – became one of the most notorious mysteries in British and Australian criminal history. With no body and no other witnesses, all police had to go on was a pool of blood and traces of DNA found on Joanne's T-shirt, the cable ties and the gear stick of their camper van. Police posted a A$250,000 (£125,000) reward, but hopes of finding Peter without the killer were slim: the area being searched is twice the size of France. It wasn't until August 2002, 13 months later, that Murdoch, who had been arrested by South Australia Police for the suspected rape and abduction of a woman and her 12-year-old daughter, was finally brought into custody. A DNA sample from his brother, Gary, matched with the murder scene. Joanne identified him as the man who tried to abduct her, and he was also confirmed using CCTV footage from a service station in Alice Springs. Later, one of Joanne's hair ties was found among his belongings – presumably a trophy taken from his intended victim. When shown it in court, he visibly recoiled. Joanne has spoken about her traumatic experience only on a handful of occasions. She was famously interviewed by Martin Bashir in 2002, followed by a few brief press appearances around the publication of her 2006 autobiographical book, No Turning Back. Today, she is believed to be leading a low-key life back in her hometown of Huddersfield, where she was most recently employed as a social worker. Now in her 50s, she is reportedly something of a recluse. She has never married nor had a family of her own. For years, the Falconios were close to Joanne, protesting her innocence and comparing her to a 'daughter'. 'We still see her but our conversations remain private,' Peter's mother said in 2020. It is, in many ways, astonishing that in the two decades since Murdoch was convicted, police are no closer to finding Peter's remains. A well at a cattle station close to where he was shot was searched in 2014 and 2019, at the behest of his mother, but nothing was found despite a five-day operation. In 2017, an anonymous letter sent to a Darwin newspaper claimed Peter's body had been cut up and placed in bin bags, which were given to an associate of Murdoch's to dissolve in acid and dispose of in a river in Perth. The letter claimed the associate ignored the instructions and buried the bags, unopened, in a remote part of Western Australia instead. Some have suggested that, in the grip of a debilitating illness, Murdoch himself may have forgotten the precise whereabouts of his victim. Whatever the truth, Peter's killer's heartless silence caused untold pain and suffering to the Falconio family. Though Joan and Luciano, with two of their sons, travelled to Australia for Murdoch's trial in 2005, ill health has prevented them from returning in recent years. Their youngest son has never been. In a poignant statement read in court, Joan spoke of her 'torment and constant physical pain' after losing Peter. At times, she feared her marriage would collapse and her family would be torn apart. She developed awful anxiety attacks, constantly having to see or check on her three surviving sons to ensure they were safe. 'The pain will never go from me,' she said. 'I think of Peter every minute of every day.' His life, she added, had 'stopped on a lonely road'. 'He was only 28 years old and had so much living left to do.' As the anniversary of their beloved son's disappearance passes once again, Joan and Luciano will have him on their minds more than ever. All they have ever wanted is to bring him home – off that lonely road and back to Huddersfield where he belongs. It seems a cruel twist of fate that this, too, is the week the one man who could have alleviated their pain has died, taking his darkest secret with him.
SBS Australia
4 days ago
- SBS Australia
How to stay safe when exploring the Australian outback
Authorities and experts are urging travellers in Australia to follow critical safety and survival measures when venturing into remote areas. It follows the case of a young German backpacker who was recently found after surviving in the vast West Australian outback for 11 nights. Carolina Wilga, who hit her head after losing control of her van, wandered away from the vehicle and battled freezing temperatures and scarce resources before being found on Friday. What happened to Carolina Wilga? The 26-year-old was missing for 12 days in remote Western Australia. Her disappearance triggered a nationwide search after pleas from her family when they had not heard from her and became concerned for her safety. Her van was found bogged in mud with mechanical issues the day before Wilga was found by a member of the public. Wilga was taken to a Perth hospital, where she is being treated for dehydration and minor injuries. While lost in the bush, she slept in a cave and survived by drinking from rainwater and puddles on the ground. She said she had abandoned her vehicle in a state of confusion after hitting her head when she lost control of her van. Preparation and communication If you're planning a trip in the Australian outback, there are several steps you can take to keep yourself safe. Senior constable Jim Armstrong, from the WA Police Emergency Operations Unit, said research and preparation are key. This includes researching your route, selecting the appropriate clothing and equipment, and having sufficient mapping and navigation aids, such as offline maps, in case you become lost. Armstrong said it is also important to consider challenges you may face on your journey, such as weather conditions or mechanical issues. Armstrong also advised making sure your vehicle is suitable for the journey you intend to take. "We often see people attempting to do some serious four-wheel drive off-road adventures in their commuter vehicles, which are just totally unsuitable for the conditions," he said. "So it's important that your vehicle is suitable and it's also mechanically sound and checked out before you leave." He also suggested packing spare tires, fuel, basic tools, food and water, and an emergency beacon. In addition to preparation and research, Armstrong said the most critical thing to do is ensure that someone has a detailed itinerary of your travel plans and intended time frames, including when you will next be in contact with them. "Now we understand that often people are off-grid and they're out in the bush, so it may be some days before anyone's expecting to hear from you," he said. "The issue we have is that people get themselves in trouble and it might be five, six, seven days before anyone is even told that people are missing. And [those days] could be critical to a person's life." The TREK method for bush survival Caro Ryan is the Bush Search and Rescue deputy unit commander at the NSW State Emergency Service. She said she recommends the TREK method for adventure seekers looking to travel in Australia. The T stands for "take everything you need", including food and water. "Take a little bit extra, you don't know if you're going to get delayed. Take a first aid kit, take some warm layers of clothes, take a map and a compass or a good way of navigating — you might have a digital app, something like that," she said. She said a power bank for a mobile phone is essential, while a paper map is helpful, and there are good packing lists available online. The R in TREK is for register your intention,"which is really just a fancy way of saying tell somebody where you're going", she said. "Tell them what track you're going to do in what area, where you're going to leave your car, how long you're going to be, and let them know when you're back as well." E stands for emergency communications, and Ryan said having a personal locator beacon can be a lifesaver. And lastly, she advised it's essential to familiarise yourself with the intended journey. "Finally, we've got K, which is know your route and stick to it. So that's really about planning the trip that's right for you, for your experience, for the skills that you might have for your level of fitness and making sure you've got good information about that track that you're going to be doing as well."
