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A young father is ‘distraught’ over the disappearance of his fiancée and two young children who vanished during a big move across three states as the desperate search for his family continues.
Darian Aspinall, 27, her two children Winter Bellamy, two, and Koda Bellamy, four, and their grandmother, 50-year-old Leah Gooding, were travelling through outback NSW en route to starting a new life in Adelaide when they vanished without a trace.
Police ramped up efforts by launching an extensive land search in far-west NSW with the help of their Queensland and South Australia counterparts.
It’s been 48 hours since the family were last seen leaving Noccundra Hotel on Warry Gate Road in south-west Queensland between 12.30pm and 3pm on Sunday.
Ms Aspinall’s fiancé Linny Bellamy had been driving several hours behind the family in a removalist truck packed with furniture.
The couple planned to cross the border and meet up on Sunday night in Packsaddle, a remote township five-and-a half hours away in far-west NSW.
The hunt continues for Koda Bellamy, four and his sister Winter 2, after they vanished on a road trip with their mum and grandmother during a move to Adelaide across three states
But the two women and Mr Bellamy’s children never made it to Packsaddle.
Mr Bellamy raised the alarm and reported the family missing to police after frantic attempts to contact them were unsuccessful.
It’s understood the family took a dirt road while Mr Bellamy stayed on a sealed road, according to Noccundra Hotel staff.
Ms Aspinall is a devoted mum with her social media proudly filled with photos and selfies with Koda and Winter.
She announced on Facebook nine months ago that she was engaged to her partner of six years Mr Bellamy.
The family had spent the last year living in Cairns in far north Queensland but recently decided to return to Adelaide, where the couple were originally from.
The proud parents recently celebrated Winter’s second birthday last month with videos and photos of a family outing to an aquarium in Cairns.
Mr Bellamy recently paid loving tribute to his fiancée in a series of posts.
‘Happy mother’s day to this amazing specimen! We love you so much,’ he wrote in May.
Several weeks earlier he posted: ‘Six years of life with future Mrs Bellamy. Can’t wait for many more.’
Linny Bellamy (right) is ‘distraught’ over the disappearance of his fiancée Darian Aspinall (left) and their two children. He had been travelling a few hours hours behind the family
The last 48 hours have been an anxious waiting game for Mr Bellamy and the rest of the family.
‘Darian’s fiancé Linny was driving the moving truck, they got split up along the way and he hasn’t seen them since,’ relative Bree Jennings told the Daily Telegraph.
‘He’s very distraught … I mean, we all are. He’s just waiting by the phone to hear some good news.’
Friends frantic with worry have turned to social media for help.
‘Is there anybody out there looking for them ? I feel helpless just sitting here. Please bring my friend and her babies home safe,’ one of Ms Aspinall’s friends commented on the NSW Police Facebook page
Darian Aspinall (left) was travelling with her children Winter Bellamy, two, and Koda Bellamy, four, and their 50-year-old grandmother when the family vanished in the NSW outback
Noccundra Hotel employee Rachael George remembers the family stopping at the hotel around Sunday lunchtime before heading south on a dirt road.
‘It’s a wide road and pretty safe and you wouldn’t expect to get lost on it although if you use google maps or those things it may make you take the wrong road,’ she said.
She also remembers Mr Bellamy making a stop a few later hours before he continued along a sealed road.
On Tuesday, NSW Police launched a major land search across much of the state’s far-west for the family believed to be travelling in a charcoal-coloured Hyundai Tucson with Queensland registration 729CV2.
The large-scale operation covers Tibooburra, Broken Hill, Wilcannia, Packsaddle and surrounding towns, with assistance from the Missing Persons Registry, Queensland and South Australia Police.
Police said the family left Noccundra Hotel on Warry Gate Road in south-west Queensland between 12.30pm and 3pm on Sunday (pictured, a map detailing their movements)
All four travellers have been described as Caucasian in appearance.
Darian has dark brown hair, tattoos on her right arm and wears glasses. The children have brown hair and blue eyes, police say.
A geo-targeted text message has been sent to locals in Packsaddle, Tibooburra, Broken Hill and surrounding areas in NSW’s far west region.
Police said if residents receive a text message from +61 444 444 444 asking for assistance locating the family, it is not a scam.
Anyone who may have information is urged to contact Wilcannia Police Station on 8083 8099 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
A police investigation was launched after the family failed to arrive at their destination and could not be contacted (pictured, the two children Winter and Koda Bellamy)