Found Alive Carolina Wilga, 26, German backpacker missing with serious concerns for welfare. Beacon, Western Australia, 29 June 2025

[StillDiggin]

Authorities hold serious concerns for a German backpacker who is believed to be missing in Western Australia's Wheatbelt region.
Carolina Wilga, 26, has been backpacking through Australia for the past two years and works on mines to fund her stay at hostels.
She was last captured on CCTV in the Beacon area on June 29 — the same day she was last in contact with her friends.
Police believe she visited a convenience store on Stirling Terrace in Toodyay the day before.
Her family, with whom she keeps in regular communication, are worried as they have not heard from her since June 18.
"We are very concerned for her welfare," WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said today.
The homicide squad have now joined the investigation.
Blanch stressed that her disappearance is not being treated as a murder "at this point" and their involvement was to have "our very best capabilities to investigate something that is very concerning to us".
Police are also appealing to anyone with footage of the Beacon area and the surrounding north-east Wheatbelt area between June 29 and July 4 to come forward.
Wilga is described as having a slim build, with frizzy or curly long dark blonde hair, brown eyes and several tattoos, including one which depicts symbols on her left arm.
She may also be driving a black and silver 1995 Mitsubishi Station sedan with Western Australian registration 1HDS 330.

Serious concerns for German backpacker missing in Western Australia

Authorities hold serious concerns for a German backpacker who remains missing from Western Australia's Whea...

www.9news.com.au

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Thanks for starting a thread!

I'd just come in to start one.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Fears held for German backpacker missing in rural area

A German backpacker is missing in a regional area, with authorities holding serious concerns for her welfare after...

www.bunburymail.com.au

The 26-year-old's mother has pleaded for anyone with information to contact authorities.

"I'm her mother and need her help, as I can't do much from Germany," Katja Will commented on the WA Police force's Facebook post about the missing woman.

"Carolina is still sorely missed. If anyone has any information, please contact the police. Please keep your eyes open!!!"

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Search intensifies for German backpacker missing for more than a week

The WA Police major crime squad has been called in to help the search for 26-year-old Carolina Wilga in the Wheatbelt.

www.abc.net.au

Grave fears for German backpacker Carolina Wilga missing in WA's remote Wheatbelt​

Detectives from the WA Police major crime squad, which probes homicides and other serious offences, have now joined the investigation into Ms Wilga's disappearance.

Commissioner Col Blanch said the police air wing was searching bushland around the town.

"We haven't seen her or heard from her since [June 29], her mobile phone is not currently on [and] we are very concerned," he told ABC Radio Perth.

Ms Wilga may be travelling in a black and silver 1995 Mitsubishi van, with WA registration 1HDS 330

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Search intensifies for German backpacker missing for more than a week

The WA Police major crime squad has been called in to help the search for 26-year-old Carolina Wilga in the Wheatbelt.

www.abc.net.au

He said her intended destination was unknown and she could be travelling in a black-and-silver 1995 Mitsubishi van, registration 1HDS 330.

"The vehicle is very distinctive," Blanch said.

"It's two-tone, it's got a rooftop tent, it would be very easy to spot if you're driving and it's on the side of the road," he said.

Ms Wilga is of slim build with frizzy or curly long, dark or blonde hair and brown eyes. She has several tattoos.

The vehicle of another missing person was found in a nearby part of the Wheatbelt in May.

Barry Podmore was reported missing by his family in December.

His vehicle was later found in Karroun Hills, about 40km from the Beacon townsite.

There has been no sign of Mr Podmore despite extensive search efforts.

 

[sapphire blue]

The vehicle looks like it’s a 1995 Mitsubishi Delica

 

[Deleted member 367982]

"Barry Podmore was reported missing by his family in December.
His vehicle was later found in Karroun Hills, about 40km from the Beacon townsite.
There has been no sign of Mr Podmore despite extensive search efforts."

Well done for starting this thread.
That's certainly a worry when two people go missing at different times in the same area.
Fingers crossed that Carolina and Barry are found alive and well.

 

[Deleted member 367982]

In December 2024, the State Government announced a new reward of up to $500,000 for any information that solves long-term missing persons cases in WA. It is the first time in WA history a reward for long-term missing persons has been offered. A long-term missing person is categorised as someone who has not been seen or heard from in more than 90days and there is no indication of criminality. These cases are managed by the Missing Persons Team, which is part of the Major Crime Division.A separate $1 million reward is offered to help solve historical unsolved homicides and suspicious disappearances.

That reward applies to Barry (aged 73 and is from Beacon) and also Paul York (who is suspected of causing himself harm) and went missing 15 years ago in the same area.
I like the idea of rewards to help police get tip offs and the same reward should already apply to Carolina as it's a very worrying disappearance.

 

[detective.moon]

Barry (aged 73 and is from Beacon)

rsbm

hmm, knowing barry is from the area and in his 70s makes me think the cases are probably not related! i could be wrong of course, jmo. i hope both are found soon.

 

[truthfinder2019]

Different car visual here:

Desperate hunt for German backpacker, 26, who vanished in Western Australia eight days ago

The 26-year-old backpacker disappeared after she was last seen travelling in Western Australia.

www.lbc.co.uk

 

[truthfinder2019]

Credit Carolina Wilga (26) in Australien vermisst: Kontakt zur Mutter aus Castrop-Rauxel abgerissen

Her FB

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

She had posted in a public FB group looking for a job around Perth in April 2024, with her photo above

Hi everyone!
I'm looking for a job around Perth asap.
I am 25 years old and come from Germany. I have experience in farm work (including driving a tractor), hospitality and housekeeping. In Germany I worked as a cnc cutting machine operator (turning, grinding).
Tickets: RSA, White Card, Forklift
If you have any questions or need more informations send me a pm

JMO but how dangerous for a young woman to do that, and travel alone in remote rural areas. I pray she is found safe.

 

[Deleted member 367982]

View attachment 600904
Credit Carolina Wilga (26) in Australien vermisst: Kontakt zur Mutter aus Castrop-Rauxel abgerissen

Her FB

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

She had posted in a public FB group looking for a job around Perth in April 2024, with her photo above

Hi everyone!
I'm looking for a job around Perth asap.
I am 25 years old and come from Germany. I have experience in farm work (including driving a tractor), hospitality and housekeeping. In Germany I worked as a cnc cutting machine operator (turning, grinding).
Tickets: RSA, White Card, Forklift
If you have any questions or need more informations send me a pm

JMO but how dangerous for a young woman to do that, and travel alone in remote rural areas. I pray she is found safe.

The great beauty of this website is that we are all allowed to express our opinions (within reason) and not get shot down in flames.
I respect your opinion that Carolina put herself in danger by advertising that she wanted a job.
But it was in Perth and that should have been a safe thing for her to do.
In fact, anyone should be able to advertise for a job in the Outback of Australia or anywhere in the world and not put their life in danger.
Some people may say that Carolina shouldn't have been travelling to a remote area alone (if she was alone and in that vehicle).
Again that's only an opinion and I would say by taking certain precautions Carolina should be able to go anywhere in the world she likes.
If there is danger in putting up a FB msg, or walking in a mini skirt down the street at night, or going alone into the bush then it's not the Carolina's of the world that we should be chastising but we should be targeting the deviants who roam the streets looking for trouble or those lying in wait out in the desert waiting for a person to come along on an innocent adventure and do them harm.
I'm not criticising your opinion at all truthfinder2019, I just think we need to let people enjoy their lives and not be restricted because our society has allowed creeps to roam freely when honest citizens can't.
You're a very good websleuther and it's people like you who the police need to find missing people like Carolina because very often police can't get a result unless they get help.
I agree people shouldn't be putting themselves into risky situations then they wouldn't go missing in the first place. But looking for a job using FB or driving around Beacon should not be risky.
That's just my opinion truthfinder2019. I respect your opinion and I don't mean in any way to offend you.

 

[jillolantern]

Is that supposed to be her driving that vehicle? It looks like the person is completely covered up in a burqa or something.

Trying to showed a zoomed in image.

 

[jillolantern]

I don't understand why there are "serious concerns" for a woman who has been alone backpacking for years and in her spare time just, you know, works at the mine. One would think she has proven she can take care of herself. So is the serious concern justified by some information we don't have and, if so, why wouldn't they (LE or family) share it? What is the point of saying serious concern without providing any justification.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I'm thinking the serious concern might be because it's out of character for her not to keep in touch with family.

 

[jillolantern]

She was last in contact about 10 days ago. I mean, anything is possible but if that's it, sheesh.

Maybe the concern is the strange person driving her vehicle.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

It's hard to tell if that is even a human being behind the wheel, the photo quality is terrible.

I'm not even sure if there is anyone in the drivers seat, it could just be shadows or a coat.

 

[sapphire blue]

I don't understand why there are "serious concerns" for a woman who has been alone backpacking for years and in her spare time just, you know, works at the mine. One would think she has proven she can take care of herself. So is the serious concern justified by some information we don't have and, if so, why wouldn't they (LE or family) share it? What is the point of saying serious concern without providing any justification.

The serious concerns justification is that it is out of character for her to not be in contact with family or friends and her phone is off.

Looking at the image of ‘someone’ driving her vehicle that could also be cause for concern. The person appears to be bulkier than Carolina is.

 

[Deleted member 367982]

Carolina's photo was on the front page of today's West Australian newspaper and a detective involved in the case was interviewed on ABC radio this morning and she said someone out there must have information about what happened to Carolina.

At least police are onto her disappearance quickly but it would be more helpful to know many things like where the CCTV camera was that last sighted her in the Beacon area, which way was she heading, was she actually driving the van, was anyone with her at the time, why are police saying she only may have been driving that van, is the grainy photo taken at Beacon, is it definitely her driving, why are police convinced she was in Beacon, why are police saying she was in the Beacon area between June 29 all the way up to July 4, do her friends she last contacted know where she was heading, did she have a job lined up at a minesite etc)

 

[Deleted member 367982]

Nationwide search for German backpacker Carolina Wilga who vanished in WA's remote Wheatbelt​

Nationwide search for backpacker after mysterious outback disappearance

A nationwide search is underway for a German backpacker who vanished in Western Australia's Wheatbelt, as police released more information about her movements in the lead up to her disappearance.

www.abc.net.au