After eight days missing in the rugged NSW bush, word came through that the 18-year-old had been located. Her family were waiting with presents
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The rugged landscape of the New South Wales southern highlands loomed large on Thursday evening. This country had just revived, then killed hope. A young woman was found “alive”, but then it was confirmed she was dead: desperation, confusion, tragedy reigned.
Here, where the bitumen of Wombeyan Caves Road runs into unsealed dirt, rolling hills dotted with cattle give way to expansive mountains. The late-afternoon sun sends long, beaming rays past the edges of clouds, casting a warm glow on distant cliff faces.