The family of Stephanie Cordery, 42, has initiated a private search effort after authorities ceased a 13-day, 300-kilometer ground operation. Cordery disappeared four weeks ago in northern New South Wales, an area where 22 women have gone missing over several decades and 32 deaths remain unexplained.
Cordery was last seen at 5 a.m. on August 5, departing temporary accommodation in Ballina, south of Byron Bay. CCTV footage shows her with a suitcase near her white 2020 Hyundai i30. The vehicle was later observed traveling through Lismore and Nimbin. Around 12:30 p.m. on the same day, Cordery's boyfriend found her car in the driveway of his property on Newton Drive, Mt. Nardi, near Nightcap National Park. Her handbag, wallet, and keys were inside, but she was not present.
Police, rescue services, sniffer dogs, and volunteer organizations conducted an extensive search but found no clues. Cordery's mother, Joyce Cordery-Boyd, expressed gratitude for the searchers' efforts but also disbelief that the official search has concluded. She noted the disparity in resources allocated to her daughter's case compared to other high-profile searches across the state.
"As a mother, I am deeply concerned by the ongoing level of resources allocated to bring my daughter home," Cordery-Boyd stated online. "The presence of vital specialist resources—including search and detection dogs—remains extremely limited and intermittent." She questioned what more authorities could be doing and whether assumptions about her daughter's mental health condition might have influenced the urgency of the investigation.
The Cordery family has launched a GoFundMe to fund their private searches, with a group planning to scour an area 500 meters beyond where authorities stopped. "Our immediate priority is thoroughly searching every inch of an 800-meter radius around where Steph's car was found," said her sister, Monique Cordery. "We cannot move past this stage without volunteers on foot checking behind every bush, log, palm, and gully."
Monique Cordery also appeared on A Current Affair, pleading for help and expressing the desperate hope that her sister will be found. She mentioned that her sister's phone was left behind at her accommodation. Cordery's boyfriend, whom she had been dating on and off for eight years, lives with his family on the remote property where the car was found. Neither he nor his family are suspected of any wrongdoing, according to reports.
A New South Wales parliamentary inquiry is currently examining historical unsolved murders and missing persons cases. The inquiry's findings highlighted the significant number of disappearances and unexplained deaths in the region, prompting speculation of a serial killer, though police have stated there is no evidence to support this theory.
Stephanie Cordery was known for her volunteer work, assisting with cleaning and food delivery for flood victims in Lismore in 2022. She is described by her family as a fun auntie who does not have children of her own.
NSW Police stated that the search in the rugged terrain had been "significant and sustained," including the use of drones and a geo-targeted text message sent to over 68,000 mobile phones in the Nimbin area. Dams and waterways near where Ms. Cordery's Hyundai was found were also searched.
Authorities are urging anyone with information, including dashcam footage from August 5, to contact CrimeStoppers.