Coroner's findings on Belgian tourist Celine Cremer's death in Tasmanian wilderness
Consensus Summary
The death of 31-year-old Belgian tourist Celine Cremer in Tasmania’s wilderness was ruled an accident by Coroner Madeleine Wilson, who found a series of errors led to her demise. Cremer began a walk at Philosopher Falls on 17 June 2023 and wandered off the Magnet Dam track, becoming lost without her phone or proper gear. Her remains were discovered near the Arthur River in January 2026 after private search efforts, with her phone found earlier in December 2025. The coroner ruled out foul play, noting male DNA on a water bottle and plastic bag was not hers. Police searches were limited by weather, and the coroner recommended formal protocols for private search groups. Cremer had arrived in Australia in 2022 and failed to follow safety precautions, including carrying waterproof clothing and informing others of her plans. The coroner also advised improved signage for the hazardous track.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Celine Cremer, a 31-year-old Belgian tourist, died between 17 and 21 June 2023 in Tasmania’s wilderness
- Cremer set off on a walk at Philosopher Falls on 17 June 2023 and was reported missing almost 10 days later
- Her remains were discovered near the Arthur River in January 2026
- Cremer’s phone was found by volunteers in December 2025, with data showing she took photos/videos between 2.21pm and 2.42pm on 17 June 2023
- Coroner Madeleine Wilson ruled Cremer’s death an accident due to a 'confluence of errors' after she wandered off the Magnet Dam track and became lost
- Cremer’s death was not linked to another person, and male DNA found on a water bottle and plastic bag was not hers
- Cremer had insufficient clothing, including nothing waterproof, and lost her phone late in the afternoon on 17 June 2023
- The coroner recommended Tasmania Police review the use of private search groups in missing persons investigations
- Cremer arrived in Australia in 2022 on a working holiday
- The Magnet Dam track was not well-defined, and Cremer wandered off it four days before the winter solstice
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Cremer’s last Google Maps input was recorded at 4.18pm on 17 June 2023, and she likely got lost around 3.49pm
- Overnight temperatures were close to freezing, and she had no waterproof clothing
- Cremer was planning to return to the mainland four days after the Philosopher Falls walk
- Her phone was found by a search party of volunteers in December 2025
- Water levels in the Arthur River were significantly higher in 2023 than when her remains were found in January 2026
- A glass water bottle and plastic bag found during searches tested positive for male DNA, but Cremer’s DNA was not detected on them
- The coroner stated Cremer’s death began when she took the Magnet Dam track instead of returning directly to the car park
- The coroner recommended Waratah Wynyard Council erect warning signs on the Magnet Dam Trail
- The remains were found two-and-a-half years after her disappearance (June 2023 to January/February 2026)
- A volunteer named Jarrod Boys discovered Cremer’s remains during a solo search of the Arthur River
- Another volunteer, Tony Hage, found Cremer’s phone on the first day of the renewed search effort
- The water bottle and plastic bags were found next to a fallen tree, which searchers believed could have been a makeshift shelter
- Tasmania Police abandoned the search after 10 days, and Cremer’s family engaged IFW Global private investigator Ken Gamble to lead renewed searches
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- The Guardian states Cremer’s remains were found in January 2026, while the ABC mentions they were found in January and February 2026
- The Guardian specifies Cremer’s death occurred between 17 and 21 June 2023, but the ABC does not provide a specific date range for her death
- The Guardian mentions Cremer’s phone was found in December 2025, while the ABC does not specify a month for its discovery
- The Guardian states Cremer’s phone was found by a search party of volunteers, while the ABC attributes the discovery to Tony Hage on the first day of renewed searches
Source Articles
‘Confluence of errors’ led to Belgian tourist Celine Cremer’s death in Tasmanian wilderness, coroner finds
Coronor finds 31-year-old deviated from a walking track as dusk fell, four days before the winter solstice Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Overlapping errors, including a lack of preparation in near-freezing winter weather, contributed to the death of a Belgian tourist on a wilderness track. Celine Cremer set off on a walk at Philosopher Falls in Tasmania’s remote north-west on 17 June 2023 and was reported missi
Coroner rules out involvement of another person in death of Belgian tourist Celine Cremer in Tasmanian wilderness
The remains of Belgian woman Celine Cremer were found earlier this year more than three years after she vanished on a bushwalk in Tasmania.
Water bottle, plastic bag 'poncho' may not have been Celine's, coroner finds
A coroner recommends Tasmania Police look into formalising the use of private search groups in missing person investigations as she releases her findings into Celine Cremer's death.
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