Does QLD Have a Wolf Creek.? 11 Unsolved Murders on Flinders Highway.

[csv8]

DOES a serial killer stalk an outback stretch of road infamously dubbed the “highway of death”?

As police investigate fresh leads in the 32-year-old murder mystery of hitchhiker Tony Jones, the spectre of a thrill killer hangs over at least 11 unsolved cold cases on the Flinders Highway.

“It is it’s own world out there,’’ said the missing man’s brother Mark Jones.

“Strange things do happen in those wild empty spaces.’’

The Flinders Highway that turns into the Barkly Highway is an isolated, remote 800km stretch of bitumen between Townsville and Mount Isa.

Tony Jones was backpacking across Australia and was last heard from when he phoned his father in Perth from a Townsville phone box on November 3, 1982. He has never been found. Source: Supplied

Blood-red iron ranges, open plains, dry riverbeds, and spinifex country stand as silent witness to some chilling killings.

“We’ve spent years trying to find links to unsolved murders like Tony’s,’’ said Mr Jones, 53, of Melbourne.

“In terms of a fit, if you look at those with no apparent motive, you can find links.

“This could be the work of a thrill killer.’’

Like serial killer Ivan Milat and Falconio killer Bradley Murdoch, a hunter stalks his prey on an isolated highway, he said.

“It is a lonely abandoned road in the middle of nowhere.

“But if the same person did these completely random killings, why stop?

“Was he in jail, did he go ground, or is he still out there waiting for the next victim?’’

Catherine Graham, 18, was found dead at Anthill Creek, west of Townsville in 1975. She had been bashed with a rock. Source: CourierMail

For three decades, two coronial inquests, an ongoing homicide cold case and a paid private investigation, the family of the missing backpacker has never given up hope of solving his baffling disappearance.

“This latest talk of a breakthrough gives us fresh hope,’’ said Mr Jones, at a family gathering in Perth.

“Police have been on the wildest of goose chases over the years.

“Hopefully these new leads out of Hughenden can crack a 30-year-old cold case.’’

Lone hitchhiker Tony Jones vanished without a trace on the night of November 3, 1982.

He was last seen near an section known as Townsville’s killing fields, Anthill Creek, about 26km out of town.

It is the same area where police found the sexually ravaged bodies of the Mackay sisters — Judith, 7, and Susan, 5, — in 1970.

The Mackay sisters, Judith, 7, and Susan, 5, of Aitkenvale, Townsville, were murdered on August 26, 1970. Their bodies were found stabbed, raped and strangled at Antil Plains, near Townsville. Source: News Limited

Despite one of the most intensive manhunts in Australian criminal history, their killer was never caught.

Arthur Brown, 86, was charged with their murder 28 years later, but legal manoeuvres based on his mental health allowed him to escape prosecution. He died in 2002.

Five years later the body of Catherine Graham, 18, was found raped and slain on the same location.

In October 1978, Karen Edwards, Gordon Twaddle and Timothy Thompson were found shot in the head near Mt Isa, about 250km west of Julia Creek.

Hitchhikers Robin Hoinville-Bartram, 18, and Anita Cunningham, 19, also disappeared along the Flinders Highway.

Robin Jeanne Hoinville-Bartram, 19, was travelling with Anita Cunningham in 1972. Her skeletal remains were found in west of Charters Towers. She’d been shot. Source: News Limited
Anita Cunningham disappeared in 1972 while hitchhiking with Robin Hoinville-Bartram. Anita has never been seen since. Source: News Limited

Robin was shot twice in the head and her skeletal remains were found west of Charters Towers in July 1972.

Anita was listed as missing but police believe she was killed with her friend.

Those murders, too, are unsolved.

Northern Regional Crime Co-ordinator Cheryl Scanlon declined to comment on the likelihood of an outback serial killer.

“We are purely focused on this one cold case of Tony Jones and I don’t want to detract from our momentum,’’ said Acting Superintendent Scanlon.

“We believe we are as close to solving this case as we have ever been.’’

Gordon Twaddle, along with Timothy Thompson and Karen Edwards, was found shot in the head near Mt Isa in 1978. Source: CourierMail

Several anonymous phone calls had detailed “completely new’’ and “very specific leads’’, she said.

Serious crime and homicide detectives this week swooped on the outback cattle town of Hughenden, 384km west of Townsville.

A $250,000 reward still stands and those with any information are asked to please call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/q...-1226828595305

[pottery beige]

Great movie! and a perfect business model for anyone wanting to bump off a few backpackers

[mechanic]

Anyone who is old enough to remember the Marlborough stretch from Marlborough to Sarina via Funnel Crk and Lotus Crk would be familiar with the same sort of stories.
There were several cases of killings and violence on that old road.
Stopping to give a person a lift is fraught with danger no matter where it is.
Hitch hikers were always getting into strife and that's why the cops frown on it.

Carry a firearm if you're worried, oh hang on, only the criminals are allowed to have them now.

Seems to me as if the area around the Belanglo Forest might be just as dangerous.

[Road_Warrior]

Certainly when you're transiting through some of those remote areas, some grey nomads recommend never to stop to assist someone in case they have "mates" hiding in the scrub on the side of the road.

[BPXR6T]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Certainly when you're transiting through some of those remote areas, some grey nomads recommend never to stop to assist someone in case they have "mates" hiding in the scrub on the side of the road.

Couldn't agree more. My folks are trusting grey nomads and I'm always warning them. For example they were shocked when I told them about the hidden drug crops in the pine plantations in SE Vic. They didn't think twice about free camping in there on a recent trip. I've come across some real dodgy sorts kicking around the back blocks of NSW/SA/Vic over the years.

[buggerlugs]

This is why I take a plane.............

[4stanger]

Originally Posted by mechanic

Anyone who is old enough to remember the Marlborough stretch from Marlborough to Sarina via Funnel Crk and Lotus Crk would be familiar with the same sort of stories.

I went on this road back in the 70s as a kid with my parents when it was highway 1, daytime towing a caravan, I vaguely recall it took most of the day to drive from Rockhampton to Mackay. Old XP Falcon towing a small van (at 50 mph), this road had 2 mountain ranges to cross.
Drove it a couple of years ago, again daytime, hadn't changed much, just narrower from the grass overtaking the bitumen on the edges of the road, Its an interesting drive on old style highways, I wouldn't be volunteering to drive it at night. Oh and it only took about 3 hours Rocky to Mackay, AU Falcon and over the speed limit.
I believe a lot of people involved in the mines use this road.

[Burnout]

People have 'gone missing' from Charters Towers to the Curry reasonably regularly for ages.
It might be said there is some one out there having a fine ol' time.

[superyob]

The bush probably hides a large number of folk who think very scary thoughts and bark at the moon...

[Blue Oval Mopar Man]

I remember the triple murder case in Mt Isa . I was just a young boy going to primary school there then.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by BPXR6T

Couldn't agree more. My folks are trusting grey nomads and I'm always warning them. For example they were shocked when I told them about the hidden drug crops in the pine plantations in SE Vic. They didn't think twice about free camping in there on a recent trip. I've come across some real dodgy sorts kicking around the back blocks of NSW/SA/Vic over the years.

Yep. You'd be surprised what you can find out there. A lot of wierdos live out in the no-man's land parts of oz.

I was told that when free camping either in a rest area or in just random bush, don't light a camp fire because it can attract said wierdos...

[Road_Warrior]

That Tony Jones backpacker case. Hard to believe the QLD Police could botch something so massively as they did.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by csv8

A $250,000 reward still stands and those with any information are asked to please call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/q...-1226828595305

How would any information even be reliable?

I remember back in 1982 I saw this weird dude driving some green car...

I don't think you could remember some random day in explicit detail 30 odd years ago unless something really stood out, with my own memory I can only remember specific things in years gone by, because it was really funny or some big event happened and even then its only triggered in memory because you're talking about a similar topic.

[Bundy]

"Arthur Brown, 86, was charged..." there's your answer right there.

I also remember in the eighties, Gympie being called the murder capital of Australia, based on per head of capita.

Queensland beautiful one day.....

[Burnout]

There seems to be some consensuses here; I think someone should contact QPOL to suggest increased policing along theses Hwys. I mean a couple more speed cameras out there will put a stop to all this nonsense, wont it????

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by mechanic

Anyone who is old enough to remember the Marlborough stretch from Marlborough to Sarina via Funnel Crk and Lotus Crk would be familiar with the same sort of stories.
There were several cases of killings and violence on that old road.
Stopping to give a person a lift is fraught with danger no matter where it is.
Hitch hikers were always getting into strife and that's why the cops frown on it.

Carry a firearm if you're worried, oh hang on, only the criminals are allowed to have them now.

Seems to me as if the area around the Belanglo Forest might be just as dangerous.

Yep...I remember the old "horror stretch". Used to be littered with wrecked cars and caravans back in the seventies, and in 1987 when I worked in Mackay at a sugar mill, coming home to Bundy one night for the weekend I decided to drive the old road and see what it was like. Of course my TE Cortina broke down...the rotor button cracked in the dizzy, it turned out. Luckily I had a spare.
2am in the middle of nowhere, poking around under the bonnet looking for what was wrong with a torch, and no such thing as mobile phones. Nice.
A car pulled up, and sat there idling,while I was poking around in the boot for tools. I started to pucker, remembering my old mans tales of terror of that bit of road. Two guys got out, chucking beer cans away as they exited the car (one guy reaching back in and opening another), and started to walk towards me, asking drunkenly if I needed a hand. I said no, they stopped, and leaned against the bonnet of their (still idling) car, talking quietly to one another. I was starting to wonder how many pieces I was going to be found in. Being before gun laws, I did have a rifle in the boot and as I lifted my tool box out, I also lifted out the rifle, holding the tool box in one hand, rifle in the other (not pointing at them of course). I said "I told you I didn't need a hand", and they shrugged and got back in to drive off in a cloud of dust and spinning wheels, swearing at me and giving me the finger and throwing more beer cans at me.
Not exactly sure if they were good samaritans or something else, but I've never driven that stretch again.


I fricking hate remote roads late at night unless I'm very familiar with the area...