Tasmania Police have confirmed a major development in the long-running mystery of missing Belgian tourist Celine Cremer, revealing that her mobile phone was discovered on December 13, 2025, during a renewed private search—more than two and a half years after she vanished. Authorities now suspect the 31-year-old may have dropped her phone while attempting a shortcut off the trail, becoming disoriented in the dense, unforgiving terrain of Philosopher Falls near Waratah.

Cremer, an adventurous backpacker exploring Australia solo, was last seen on June 17, 2023, checking out of accommodation in Waratah, north-west Tasmania. She parked her white Honda CR-V at the Philosopher Falls trailhead and set off on what was intended as a short bushwalk. Nine days later, concerned friends reported her missing when she failed to board a ferry home. Her vehicle was found unlocked with belongings inside, but extensive initial searches by police, SES volunteers, and helicopters yielded no trace. The case captured national attention, highlighting the perils of Tasmania’s remote wilderness.

The breakthrough came on the first day of a five-day private search organized by Cremer’s friends from Belgium, who flew in to join private investigator Ken Gamble and local volunteers. Veteran searcher Tony Hage located the damp but intact Samsung phone less than 100 meters from her last known GPS ping, in an area previously scoured multiple times. “We suspect she dropped her phone and continued without it, becoming disoriented in dense terrain,” Inspector Andrew Hanson said, noting phone data supports the theory that Cremer used a mapping app to veer off the marked track for a perceived shorter route back as daylight faded.

Tasmania Police, who had supported but not led the private effort, immediately joined formally. Trained search and rescue officers, SES volunteers, and specialists are now on the ground, focusing on the phone’s location and likely paths Cremer may have taken. Bad weather delayed operations on December 14, but the renewed push has reignited hope amid fears of the worst. The phone is undergoing forensic examination for potential clues.

Cremer’s disappearance stunned her family in Belgium and the tight-knit Waratah community, where locals treated it “like a member of the community went missing.” Friends described her as vibrant and independent, documenting her Australian van life on social media. The Philosopher Falls track—a scenic but challenging rainforest walk to a cascading waterfall—is popular yet deceptive, with thick undergrowth and easy off-trail disorientation.

This grim update underscores Tasmania’s wilderness dangers: sudden weather changes, poor signal, and impenetrable bush claiming lives despite experience. Initial 2023 searches were suspended after experts deemed survival unlikely in winter conditions. Private efforts persisted, driven by Cremer’s loved ones refusing to give up.

As the clock ticks in this desperate hunt, emotions run high. Search organizer Rob Parsons called the find “the biggest breakthrough,” while friends celebrated tearfully. Police remain in close contact with Cremer’s mother, assessing new information for answers and closure.

No further traces have been found yet, leaving family, rescuers, and the public anxious. The discovery raises cautious optimism—but in Tasmania’s vast, rugged wild, time and terrain are unforgiving foes.