Nicole Liedke has vowed to ‘never stop looking’ for her missing brother Patrick after the disabled man went missing in bushland on the Queensland-NSW border in April

The sister of a man with complex mental health issues who went missing in a bush area on the Queensland-New South Wales border has vowed to never stop looking for him, as a massive 13-day search has begun.

Patrick Liedke, 39, was last seen on April 23 walking on Piggabeen Road in Piggabeen, west of Tweed Heads.

Hoping that a renewed focus would finally help her find her beloved brother, Nicole Liedke used a Facebook page to Experienced hikers and trackers are called upon to join the search.

She described her brother, who has a disability and is neurodiverse, as a kind and gentle person who enjoys painting and golfing.

He is of Caucasian descent, 183 cm tall, of stocky build, brown eyes, brown, thinning hair and a full reddish-brown beard. His appearance may have changed due to the time he spent in the bushes.

Mrs Liedke believed he had gone into the bushes to find some peace. ‘I don’t believe he chose (to disappear).

“It drew him inward, in an overwhelming need to be somewhere quiet,” she 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 in nearby Cobaki. The New South Wales Police, SES and Volunteer Rescue Association began a search the following day.

Ms Liedke found fresh barefoot prints on Tomewin Mountain Road in Currumbin Valley while searching across the Queensland border with her family on April 28. Queensland authorities joined the search.

But official searches in both New South Wales and Queensland were halted on May 1.

Since then, Ms. Liedke has been coordinating searches in the community with the help of volunteers, local homeowners, infrared cameras and dingo trackers.

She said the searches by authorities did not go far enough given the size of the area and the difficulty of the terrain.

Ms Liedke also believed that official searches were hampered by the ‘invisible’ border between the states.

“People think the police will search until the person is found, but that’s not how decisions are made,” she said.

Although her brother is comfortable in the bush, he could easily have become lost and confused, she said.

“The people who go missing are vulnerable, especially the neurodiverse ones,” she said. “He’s not like a lost hiker who sits down and waves for help.”

His phone activity suggested that Liedke may have used Google Maps to get out of the bushes.

The last person to see him was a farmer, who saw him covered in mud and looking ‘disoriented’.

“He said, ‘Are you OK?’ and my brother didn’t respond, he just kept walking down Piggabeen Road,” Mrs Liedke said. “He was still so close to his car at that point.”

The longer he is missing, the larger the potential search area becomes, she said.

‘I’m tired. I’ve been walking every day, searching, knocking on doors, driving around.

Patrick Liedke (pictured), who has a disability and is neurodiverse, is described as a kind and gentle person who enjoys painting and golfing

Nicole Liedke (pictured) has asked for help in finding her brother Patrick, who has been missing since April

“I will never stop searching for my brother.”

The 13-day community search began Saturday.

Anyone interested in participating in the search can contact Mrs. Liedke through her Facebook campaign Find Patrick Liedke.

Anyone with information should contact Tweed Heads police on (07) 5506 9499 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.