It’s a mystery police are desperate to solve —what has happened to 23-year-old Gary Tweddle who went missing from a work conference at Leura’s Fairmont Resort just over a week ago?
Almost four years to the day that British backpacker Jamie Neale also mysteriously disappeared [but was found safe 12 days later] the family of English-born Gary Tweddle remain optimistic despite freezing temperatures over the weekend.
As the search entered its seventh day on Monday, girlfriend Anika Haigh who lives with the information technology worker in Cremorne, told the Gazette the predicted weekend snow had never arrived and “mother nature is on our side”.
At their lowest, temperatures dipped to -1 (with wind chill factor) on Monday morning; but Ms Haigh, an events manager, said her boyfriend of three years “is a very fit young man, we do boot camp three times a week, I’m confident if anyone can make it through these days it’s him”.
Police have a timeline of the last known movements of Gary Tweddle. He had dinner at Silk’s Brasserie in Leura before returning to the Fairmont about 11.30pm.
It’s believed he left the resort shortly after midnight and called a work colleague soon after, saying he was lost but near a main road. He was on his mobile for 17 minutes.
Hotel guests and residents heard noises near the resort and possibly bins being knocked over in nearby Watkins Road between midnight and 2am but police are not sure whether the sounds came from the missing man or from the colleagues calling out to him.
Police said Mr Tweddle had been drinking and believe he may have become disorientated and injured. He may have also lost his glasses.
But they said Mr Tweddle appeared in good spirits when talking to the friend on his phone shortly after midnight. He has not been heard from or seen since and his mobile phone is now either switched off or out of battery.
Operation Crossway has already “twice covered” parts of the Jamison Valley closest to the resort where hotel residents and neighbouring homeowners believe they may have heard or seen Mr Tweddle, the operation commander, Detective Inspector Mick Bostock said.
Detective Inspector Bostock said Rural Fire Service and State Emergency Service volunteers were knocking on doors so they could examine “under homes or in sheds” for the man they believe has met with “misadventure”.
Members of the Volunteer Rescue Association’s “vertical” group were also abseiling cliffs around Sublime Point in full wetsuits. Police Rescue from the Blue Mountains and Sydney had been on the scene searching dense bushland, rugged terrain, cliffs lines and valleys.
“We believe it’s misadventure ... he’s been injured and can’t get help,” Inspector Bostock said.
“The best scenario is he’s taken shelter and is waiting to be found.”
Ms Haigh has been waiting anxiously since Tuesday July 16 at the Fairmont Resort where the police command post has been set up in the car park.
More than 50 of the couple’s friends, family and colleagues assisted with the search on Saturday and Sunday and a smaller group remained on Monday. The Fairmont Resort and Leura Golf Club have each set up an area to feed and take care of the rescuers and the missing man’s family.
Mr Tweddle’s family and friends have taken to Facebook to appeal for any information. A Facebook page titled “Have you seen Gary Tweddle?” has almost 2000 likes.
Family and friends have ensured his picture covers telegraph poles all over the Blue Mountains.
The young man’s father and stepmother have flown out from England to assist in the search. His mother and her fiance have come from the Gold Coast.
Mum, Carol Johnson, left a heartfelt message for her son on her own Facebook site over the weekend: “Good nite Gaz. Keep strong. Mam, Clive, Dad and Michelle, Anika and everyone is here waiting for you. We pray every minute of the day for your safe return to your loving family.”
Ms Johnson added later “my heart hurts so badly..but l am keeping strong for Gaz.” She told media she was looking for “any information to ...bring my boy home”.
Det Insp Bostock said a number of people had come forward with information and they were “checking out all leads. Volunteers had worked tirelessly in their efforts to find him.”
“On the weekend about 200 volunteers from the Rural Fire Service, State Emergency Service and Volunteer Rescue Association and Bushwalkers Wilderness Rescue Squad had assisted with the search.”
Det Insp Bostock said due to those volunteers’ work commitments, numbers had scaled back to 70 over Monday and Tuesday.
Mr Tweddle, who is in IT sales at technology company Oracle, is described as 165 to 170 centimetres tall, medium build with brown eyes and brown hair.
He is thought to be wearing blue jeans, black jacket and checked shirt.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Ms Haigh said the family will be “forever grateful to the police and volunteers working selflessly to find Gary.”
“It gets harder as the days go on [but] I’ll never give up hope. I know wherever he is, he wants to come home to us.”
