The death of Belgian backpacker Celine Cremer, who went missing during a bushwalk in Tasmania in June 2023, has been officially ruled an accident. Coroner Madeline Wilson concluded that Ms. Cremer’s death resulted from a series of mistakes that led to her becoming lost in the Tasmanian Wilderness.

Ms. Cremer disappeared sometime between June 17 and June 21, 2023, while traveling along Tasmania’s West Coast on a working holiday in Australia. She was last seen driving toward Philosopher Falls on June 17. Her mobile phone last transmitted a signal near Waratah on June 20, three days after she was reported missing. A local council worker had discovered Ms. Cremer’s car in the Philosopher Falls parking area several days prior to her being reported missing.

Following the report, police conducted searches in the area and consulted a survivability expert, who advised that chances of locating her alive were slim. The subsequent criminal investigation found no evidence of third-party involvement in her disappearance or death, according to Coroner Wilson.

The discovery of Ms. Cremer’s remains unfolded over multiple search efforts involving volunteers. Her mobile phone was recovered in December 2023. Later searches uncovered a human jawbone and other skeletal remains, along with partially buried clothing and her car keys near the Arthur River at Waratah, where her body was ultimately found in early 2024. Coroner Wilson confirmed these remains belonged to Ms. Cremer.

The coroner’s findings suggest Ms. Cremer likely veered off the track near Magnet Dam and became disoriented. She was inadequately prepared for the harsh conditions, including carrying insufficient clothing, losing contact with her phone, and not following recommended safety procedures. The rugged and slippery terrain, particularly along river banks, probably played a role in her fate.

“Given the steep and slippery terrain … one possibility is that she slipped and fell from the banks into the river,” Coroner Wilson stated, though she was unable to determine the exact incident that led to Ms. Cremer’s final resting place. The ruling closes a tragic chapter on the disappearance of the young traveler who had been exploring Tasmania’s wilderness.