Samantha Murphy has not been seen since the morning of February 4.
Good Samaritans wanting to join the search for missing mother-of-three Samantha Murphy have been warned to take care due to the treacherous terrain.
Volunteers have been tasked with coordinating searches in Woowookarung Regional Park, northwest of Melbourne, since the official search for Murphy was scaled back on Saturday.
The 51-year-old woman has not been seen since the morning of February 4, when she disappeared while out for a run in the state forest.
Ballarat Mayor Des Hudson said while it was encouraging to see locals willing to help with the search, there were many risks in the rugged bushland area.
“It is important that they pay attention to the advice posted on the front door of Buninyong Police Station, which identifies areas of concern to search and strategies to stay safe,” he said. News from heaven.
“The last thing we want and the last thing emergency services need is to direct resources to someone who is lost.”
Volunteers have been urged to search in pairs and ensure they carry adequate food and water.
Local volunteers coordinating their own search have been urged to be careful on the rouh land in the state forest where Ms Murphy disappeared.
Organizers have also been writing down the names and numbers of those helping in the search.
Locals had earlier expressed concern about mine shafts around the state forest that are not easy to detect.
“Ballarat is a city built on gold, there are many gold mines there, and people need to keep this in mind when they search,” added Mayor Hudson.
There were 28 people helping in the search on Sunday, according to a Facebook group created to help with Murphy’s disappearance, which has now been closed.
The warnings come later professional tracker Jake Cassar told Daily Mail Australia that Ms. Murphy could survive in the bush for weeks as long as you have access to water.
“She could be absolutely alive if she found her way to the water,” he said.
“You can go three days without water and about a month without food, but in the past people have survived for months.”
Ms Murphy disappeared without a trace after running 20km through the national park.
He said police typically suspend ground searches for five to nine days due to lack of funding and resources.
Cassar urged authorities to ask bush trackers for help and said he would be willing to conduct his own search.
“Being at the mercy of the elements is not a good way to go,” he said.
“The SES does a great job, as do the police, but the volunteers need to get back to their families and their jobs.”
The official police search for Ms Murphy has been handed over to the Missing Persons Team and A large-scale search will only be resumed if new information emerges.
