The disappearance of Belgian backpacker Celine Cremer in Tasmania more than two years ago has been ruled an accident by a coroner, who cited a combination of factors including hypothermia, physical trauma, and drowning.
Celine Cremer, 31, vanished on June 17, 2023, while on a solo bushwalk near Philosopher Falls in Tasmania's northwest. Her family reported her missing eight days later, initiating a large-scale search by police, SES crews, swift water rescue personnel, drones, and a helicopter. The official search was eventually suspended, but her family continued efforts through private investigators IFW Global, who coordinated further searches.
A significant development occurred in December 2025 when volunteers found Cremer's mobile phone, which provided crucial clues about her movements. Her remains were discovered earlier this year along the Arthur River by an independent searcher, and Tasmania Police later recovered additional items, including her car keys.
Due to the condition of the remains and recovered items, the Tasmanian Coroners Court could not determine the precise cause of death. However, Coroner Madeleine Wilson stated that foul play was definitively ruled out and declared the death accidental. "I am satisfied that the involvement of another person in Ms Cremer's death can be definitively ruled out," Wilson said.
The coroner found that Cremer had ventured beyond the marked Philosopher Falls trail onto an unmaintained track as daylight faded. She was reportedly wearing insufficient clothing in wet winter conditions and lost her phone shortly after 4:18 p.m. in dense forest terrain with poor or intermittent mobile reception.
Coroner Wilson was unable to determine the exact route Cremer took from losing her phone to reaching the Arthur River, nor could she confirm how she entered the water. Possible scenarios included slipping and falling from the riverbank or falling while attempting to cross the river.
Following the findings, Coroner Wilson recommended that the Waratah-Wynyard Council install clear warning signs at the Philosopher Falls lookout junction to alert visitors that the Magnet Dam trail is unmaintained and hazardous. She also suggested that Tasmania Police develop protocols for collaborating with private search teams.
After her remains were found, Cremer's sister, Amelie, expressed gratitude to everyone involved in the search. "Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who participated in the search and helped find her," she wrote. "Thanks also to our relatives for their support, respect and presence throughout these years. You have been essential."