The sister of a man with complex mental health needs who is missing in a bush on the Queensland-New South Wales border has vowed to never stop looking for him, as a massive 13-day community search begins.
Patrick Liedke, 39, was last seen walking along Piggabeen Road in Piggabeen, west of Tweed Heads on April 23.
Hoping that a renewed focus would finally help find her beloved brother, Nicole Liedke used a Facebook Page a Experienced hikers and trackers are asked to join the search.
She described her brother, who has a disability and is neurodiverse, as a kind and gentle person who loves painting and playing golf.
He is Caucasian, 183 cm tall, with a solid build, brown eyes, thinning brown hair, and a thick reddish-brown beard, although his appearance may have changed due to his time spent in the forest.
Mrs Liedke believes the man went into the woods to find some peace. “I don’t think he chose (to disappear).”
“He drew it to him, with an overwhelming need to be somewhere quiet,” he said. 9News‘Nature gives us the perfect amount of everything, it’s our natural state.’
Her brother’s car was found on April 26 at a property near Cobaki, and NSW Police, the SES and the Volunteer Rescue Association began a search the following day.
Patrick Liedke (pictured) was last seen walking along Piggabeen Road in Piggabeen, west of Tweed Heads on April 23, and his sister Nicole has vowed to “never stop looking for him”.
Ms Liedke found fresh barefoot footprints on Tomewin Mountain Road in the Currumbin Valley while searching with her family across the border in Queensland on April 28, prompting Queensland authorities to join the search.
But official searches on both the New South Wales and Queensland sides were suspended on May 1.
Since then, Ms Liedke has coordinated community searches with the help of volunteers, local landowners, infrared cameras and dingo trackers.
He said searches by authorities were not sufficient, given the size of the area and the difficult terrain.
Ms Liedke also said that official searches were hampered by the “invisible” border between states.
“People think that the police search until they find the person, but that’s not how decisions are made,” he said.
Although her brother is comfortable in the woods, she said, he could easily have gotten lost and might have disorganized thinking.
“People who go missing are vulnerable, especially neurodiverse people,” she said. “It’s not like a lost hiker who just sits there and waves for help.”
Activity on his phone account suggested Liedke might have tried to use Google Maps to get out of the woods.
The last person to see him was a farmer, who saw him covered in mud and looking “disoriented.”
“He asked me, ‘Are you OK?’ and my brother didn’t respond. He kept walking down Piggabeen Road,” Liedke said. “He was still very close to his car.”
The longer he is missing, the wider the potential search area, he said.
‘I’m tired. I’ve been walking around every day searching, knocking on doors, driving.
Patrick Liedke (pictured), who has a disability and is neurodiverse, is described as a kind and gentle person who loves painting and playing golf.
Nicole Liedke (pictured) has appealed for help in finding her brother Patrick, who has been missing since April.
“I will never stop looking for my brother.”
The community search, which lasted 13 days, began on Saturday.
Anyone interested in joining the search can contact Ms. Liedke through her Facebook campaign. Meet Patrick Liedke.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police in Tweed Heads on (07) 5506 9499 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.