In a stunning development that has reignited hope and heartache in equal measure, Tasmania Police announced on Sunday, December 14, 2025, that they are formally deploying resources to join a renewed search for Celine Cremer, the 31-year-old Belgian backpacker who vanished without a trace more than two and a half years ago. The breakthrough came just a day earlier, on Saturday, December 13, when a private search party—organized by Cremer’s devoted friends and family—discovered her long-lost mobile phone in the dense rainforest near Philosopher Falls. The find, in an area previously scoured extensively by authorities, has sent shockwaves through the community, prompting an immediate escalation in efforts to finally uncover what happened to the adventurous young woman.

Celine Cremer’s disappearance in June 2023 captivated Australia and Belgium alike, becoming one of Tasmania’s most enduring mysteries. A vibrant, experienced traveler who had been exploring the island state for months, Cremer was last sighted on June 17, 2023, in the small mining town of Waratah. She had driven her white Honda CRV to the Philosopher Falls trailhead, a popular but short bushwalk through the ancient Tarkine rainforest, intending what was meant to be a quick afternoon hike. Her vehicle was found abandoned in the car park nine days later, on June 27, after friends raised the alarm when she failed to board the Spirit of Tasmania ferry back to the mainland. Despite intensive initial searches involving helicopters, ground teams, and even cadaver dogs, no trace of her was ever found, and the operation was suspended in July 2023 amid brutal winter conditions—sub-zero temperatures, snow, and heavy rain—that experts deemed unsurvivable.

For over two years, the case lingered in limbo, a painful open wound for Cremer’s family in Belgium and the tight-knit Tasmanian communities familiar with the perils of its wild landscapes. Theories ranged from accidental disorientation in the thick undergrowth to more sinister possibilities, but without evidence, closure remained elusive. Private efforts persisted sporadically, driven by unwavering determination from those who loved her. Childhood friends from Belgium maintained contact with local volunteers, while private investigator Ken Gamble conducted multiple independent searches, convinced that Cremer remained within a tight radius of her last known phone ping.

That persistence paid off dramatically this weekend. Four of Cremer’s closest friends flew from Belgium to Tasmania specifically for a planned five-day private search, joining forces with local volunteers, including seasoned State Emergency Service (SES) members and Tasmanian historian Rob Parsons. The group, numbering around 20-30, began systematically combing the rugged terrain around Philosopher Falls on Saturday morning. Just hours into the effort—shortly before midday—came the moment that changed everything.

Tony Hage, a dedicated SES volunteer described by organizers as a “local legend” for his relentless solo expeditions (over 20 trips into the area), spotted something glinting in the foliage. Peering out from beneath thick undergrowth, damp but remarkably intact, was a Samsung mobile phone. The team quickly verified it via the serial number: it belonged to Celine Cremer. Emotions ran high—tears, hugs, a mix of exhilaration and profound sadness—as the reality sank in. “There was emotion, excitement,” one searcher later recounted. The phone was found less than 100 meters from Cremer’s last known GPS coordinates, in terrain so dense and unforgiving that visibility is often limited to arm’s length.

Tasmania Police were notified immediately, and officers secured the scene. By Sunday morning, Inspector Andrew Hanson confirmed the device was indeed Cremer’s and announced that police resources—including trained search and rescue specialists and additional SES volunteers—would formally integrate with the independent effort. “We have the additional information needed to find Celine,” Hanson stated, emphasizing a renewed focus on the area where the phone was located and the probable path she took afterward. The device, now undergoing forensic examination, could yield crucial data: battery life, app usage, or even final photos that might pinpoint her movements.

The discovery bolsters a long-held police theory about Cremer’s fate. Data from her phone suggests she may have veered off the marked Philosopher Falls track as daylight faded—sunset was at 4:57 p.m. on that winter day, plunging the canopy-shrouded forest into near-darkness much earlier. Using a navigation app, she might have attempted a “direct route” shortcut back to her car, climbing a nearby hill where signal briefly allowed a final ping before dropping her phone and pressing on, disoriented in the impenetrable bush. “We suspect she dropped her phone and continued without it, becoming lost in dense terrain,” Hanson explained. Hypothermia, a common killer in Tasmania’s wilds, likely set in rapidly given the freezing conditions.

The location of the find has raised eyebrows: it was in an area “extensively searched previously” during the 2023 operations. Vegetation growth, shifting foliage, or simply the sheer difficulty of the rainforest—described as one of the most complicated in the world, with tangled understory and hidden ravines—could explain why it evaded detection for so long. Some have credited sheer luck: sunlight catching the phone’s surface at just the right angle on Saturday.

For Cremer’s family, the news has been bittersweet. A police liaison officer personally informed her mother in Belgium before the public announcement. She remains “hopeful” amid the renewed activity, though the stark reminder of loss is undeniable. Friends who made the long journey from Europe spoke of the unbearable silence that has haunted them, vowing not to leave without answers. “Everyone wants closure,” one said through tears. “Even if we find her, she’s not coming back, but we can’t abandon her here.”

The joint search is set to resume as soon as weather permits—Tasmania’s north-west is notorious for sudden downpours and mist that can ground efforts. Teams will target the hillside and downhill slopes beyond the phone’s location, methodically gridding areas for any further signs: clothing, belongings, or remains. Private investigator Gamble, who has led numerous expeditions, expressed cautious optimism, noting the phone narrows the search perimeter significantly.

This breakthrough underscores the unique challenges of missing persons cases in Tasmania’s wilderness. The Tarkine, one of the world’s largest temperate rainforests, has swallowed secrets for centuries—even 19th-century prospectors vanished in its depths, as signs at Philosopher Falls ominously warn. Cremer’s story echoes others: hikers underestimating winter’s bite, navigation errors in low visibility, the forest’s ability to conceal forever.

Yet it also highlights extraordinary human tenacity. From Hage’s dogged solo treks to friends crossing oceans, the private push never wavered. Now, with official forces fully engaged, there is palpable momentum. Communities in Waratah and beyond have rallied, offering support and sharing stories of Cremer’s infectious spirit—a “ball of sunshine” who embraced Australia’s adventures with wide-eyed wonder.

As teams prepare to venture back into the green labyrinth, Australia holds its breath. After 912 days of uncertainty, the discovery of a small, weathered phone has cracked open a door long thought sealed. Will it lead to Celine? For her loved ones, volunteers, and investigators alike, the answer can’t come soon enough. In the words of one searcher: “We’re closer than we’ve ever been.” The Tarkine may guard its mysteries fiercely, but this time, determination might just prevail.