Missing mum Samantha Murphy’s childhood dream of being famous came true in the cruellest way possible. Now her family wants Australia to know the real woman behind the heartbreaking headlines

EXCLUSIVE

Growing up in the tranquility of the Australian bush, young Samantha Murphy dreamed of becoming famous.

Tucked away in the small Victorian country town of Gordon, about 95km west of Melbourne’s CBD, Samantha grew up with her sister and loving parents John and Pam Robson.

At the height of the gold rush, the city had no fewer than eight hotels, banks and various shops.

Today, in the only remaining pub, the publican serves beer to a bunch of hard-nosed locals.

A child of the ’70s and ’80s, Samantha spent her time biking through the lush forest, hanging out with friends, and riding horses.

She would own many horses in her life and show and jump them over the years.

Like many girls growing up in the countryside, she dreamed of moving and making something of her life before time passed by.

Her uncle, Allan Robson, remembered Samantha as a young go-getter, driven to make a name for herself.

“Samantha was always going to be a famous person,” he told Daily Mail Australia.

But she couldn’t have imagined how cruelly her childhood dreams would come true.

Wearing black mid-length leggings and a maroon/brown shirt, the latest image of her life has hit the internet and TV screens over the past two weeks.

The photo was taken from her home just off Eureka Street in Ballarat East at 7am on February 4, on what turned out to be a stinking hot day.

The mother-of-three had told her husband, Mick, that she was going for a short walk and would be back by 9am, but never returned.

Weeks later, her disappearance continues to baffle seasoned detectives.

It’s a mystery that has captivated Australia and devastated Samantha’s family, friends and community.

Samantha’s family told Daily Mail Australia this week they didn’t want people to forget who she was or what she meant to those who knew and loved her.

Speaking in the past tense is something Samantha’s family reluctantly comes to terms with.

Mr Robson, who is in his 80s and still drives his tractor around a farm north of Ballarat, remembers Samantha pestering him for her first horse as a little girl.

“She was horse crazy,” he said.

“She always wanted Uncle Allan to buy her a horse, and she was watching her dad all the time,” Samantha’s aunt Janice remembers.

“She always wanted one.”

It wasn’t long before her old man gave in and bought her a pony that she named Harmony.

Samantha’s father John, known to friends as ‘Pud’, was a hard-working truck driver who traveled around the country alone to ensure his daughters had a good start in life.

Her mother, Pam, came from Perth, where most of Mrs. Murphy’s family on that side still live.

Samantha’s disappearance has devastated her parents.

“John went back to work. He said: “There’s nothing I can do,” Ms Robson said.

“And I think if we were put in that position, we would be like that ourselves.”

John Robson had spent most of his life behind the wheel of a truck and was still working at the age of eighty.

“He should slow down. He’s retreated to local long-distance routes – the top of New South Wales and stuff like that,” his brother said.

On Thursday, Samantha’s sister asked Daily Mail Australia not to speak to her parents and declined to comment herself.

Samantha’s husband has taken a similar stance when it comes to the media storm his wife’s disappearance has caused.

Mr Murphy, with the help of Samantha, operates one of the largest panel butcheries in the region.

Samantha employs more than 20 staff and is described, according to the website, as the “backbone” of the operation, managing the books and “keeping Mick in line.”

In fact, those who knew Samantha claimed that she most definitely “wore the pants” during the wedding.

‘She was the boss. Mick is different. He is quiet. He stays in the background. He doesn’t say much,” Robson said.

Samantha had met her husband while he was growing up in Gordon.

The son of a truck driver, Mr. Murphy was also just as driven to achieve success as his wife.

“His business quickly grew enormously,” Mr Robson said.

“It’s the biggest panel butchery you can imagine in Ballarat.”

Mr. Murphy had learned the trade as a young man and toiled in the business he now owns.

At the helm, Mr Murphy and his wife managed to make Inland Motor Body Works a huge success by moving to large premises just outside Ballarat.

‘It just got bigger and bigger and bigger. It just kept growing,” Robson said.

The couple has endured ups and downs as they struggled to conceive their first two children, which followed grueling IVF procedures.

Through hard work, the couple moved into the sprawling multi-million dollar property they now own.

Mr Robson said that while Samantha grew up attending private schools, her first job reflected a work ethic she maintained until the day she disappeared.

“She ended up scooping dog shit for a living,” Mr Robson said.

‘It was the first job she ever had. Shoveling dog shit into the doghouses.”

Anyone with information about Samantha Murphy’s disappearance can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.