The mobile phone of 31-year-old Belgian hiker Celine Cremer was recovered on Dec. 13 at Philosopher Falls near Waratah, Tasmania, more than two years after she vanished during a bushwalk on June 17, 2023. The discovery prompted Tasmania Police to formally join a private search of roughly 35 volunteers. Authorities say phone data and its location suggest Cremer may have left the marked track to take a more direct route back to her car as daylight faded; the device will undergo forensic analysis. Search teams will continue ground operations when weather permits.
Phone Found After Two Years in Tasmanian Wilderness, Renewing Search for Missing Belgian Hiker Celine Cremer
Tasmania Police FacebookCeline Cremer.
More than two years after 31-year-old Belgian hiker Celine Cremer vanished while bushwalking in Tasmania, searchers recovered her mobile phone on Dec. 13 at Philosopher Falls near Waratah. The discovery has prompted Tasmania Police to formally join an ongoing private search and has renewed hope — and heartache — for those who have been looking for answers.
Key Discovery Prompts Renewed Search
Cremer was last seen on June 17, 2023, in the mining town of Waratah, on the edge of the Tarkine rainforest. Police say she drove to the Philosopher Falls parking area, left her car and set out on what was intended to be a short bushwalk; she never returned. Her friends reported her missing nine days later, and authorities found her vehicle in the Philosopher Falls lot the following day.
GettyPhilosopher Falls in Tasmania, Australia.
Initial official searches lasted about two weeks and were followed by periodic efforts over the subsequent two years, but investigators found no trace of Cremer until the device was recovered this month during a volunteer-led expedition.
“We believe she then drove to Philosopher Falls, parked her car and set off on what was meant to be a short bushwalk,” Inspector Andrew Hanson said. “Unfortunately, she did not return.”
What The Phone Might Reveal
The phone was found in terrain that had been searched previously. According to police, the device’s data and its location support a theory that Cremer may have used a navigation app to leave the marked Philosopher Falls track and attempt a more direct route back to her car as daylight faded. Investigators suspect she dropped the phone and carried on, later becoming disoriented in dense, difficult terrain.
Tasmania Police FacebookSearch efforts for the missing woman in 2023.
Authorities noted that in the days after her disappearance the area experienced severe winter conditions, including sub-zero temperatures, snow and heavy rain. Expert medical advice at the time indicated those conditions would likely have been unsurvivable for prolonged exposure.
The recovered phone will undergo further forensic examination to help establish Cremer’s last movements and provide any information useful to the search and investigation.
Tasmania Police FacebookSearch efforts near Philosopher Falls in December 2025.
Search Efforts and Next Steps
The private search that recovered the device was organised by volunteers and led in part by adventure filmmaker Rob Parsons. About 35 people — experienced off‑trail hikers and some of Cremer’s friends — participated in the search when the phone was located. The private effort was briefly paused due to bad weather on Dec. 14 but is expected to continue as conditions improve.
Following the discovery, Tasmania Police joined the independent search teams. Inspector Hanson stressed the difficulty of the terrain: “It’s the kind of area where you can't get technology into, you can't search in any other way than boots on the ground.” Police and volunteers plan to resume ground searches when weather allows.
Officials confirmed that Cremer’s mother in Belgium has been informed of the development. Hanson acknowledged the mixed emotions involved: while the phone’s recovery brings renewed leads and hope for some, it also serves as a painful reminder of the family's ongoing loss.
Further updates are expected after forensic analysis of the device is completed and as search teams continue their ground work.
