Search for the Nannup Four begins in Australia — ABC News Australia
In the Australian state of Western Australia, a group of volunteers will begin a two-week search this week in densely forested terrain near Northcliffe to find traces of four people who disappeared in July 2007. As ABC News Australia reports, more than 40 people with bush experience responded to the call to join the operation.
The disappearance of the Nannup Four
Chantelle MacDougall, her five-year-old daughter Leela, Chantelle's partner Simon Cadwall, and their friend Tony Popich disappeared on the outskirts of Nannup. The case is referred to as that of the Nannup Four. The MacDougall family initially believed all four had travelled to Brazil, but reported them missing after they stopped receiving news from them. Their bank accounts remained untouched, and their passports were not used.
Simon Cadwall, whose real name is Gary Felton, lived under another person's stolen identity and ran an online cult in which he promoted apocalyptic beliefs. According to ABC, he spoke about a plan to go into the wilderness and commit murder-suicide. A 2017 coronial inquest did not determine whether the missing people were alive.
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Search near Northcliffe
The search will focus on forested terrain near Northcliffe, about 100 kilometres south of Nannup and 350 kilometres from Perth. The group lived in this area. Two bus tickets were purchased around the time of the disappearance — they were bought by either Cadwall or Popich; Northcliffe was considered the likely final destination of the journey.
Three months later, in October 2007, prisoners clearing a trail in the forest near the town reported finding clothing and smelling death. Police conducted a search but later acknowledged that they had searched the wrong area. In 2024, a team of dogs trained to search for human remains worked at the correct location and detected a scent associated with human remains.
The search organiser, Matt Strickland, vice president of the Tasmanian group Find Our Lost Loved Ones, said participants could be working at a potential crime scene, so responsible volunteers are being involved in the operation. Drone-based LiDAR scanning and the same dog team will also be used to search for possible ground disturbances. Chantelle's parents, Jim and Kath MacDougall, are travelling from regional Victoria to join the search.
