A desperate woman who’s spent almost every day searching the bush where her brother disappeared two years ago has found his wallet.
Nicole Liedke has regularly searched the bushland around Piggabeen, west of Tweed Heads on the Queensland-NSW border, since April 2024.
Her brother, Patrick Liedke, was last seen by a farmer walking on Piggabeen Road on April 23, 2024, looking ‘disorientated’ and ‘covered in mud’.
On Friday, July 3, Ms Liedke’s Facebook campaign, Find Patrick Liedke, shared an update.
‘After more than two years and two months of searching, Patrick’s family and a dedicated six-member volunteer team and dingo have found Patrick’s wallet in bushland in Cobaki,’ the post read.
‘Nicole, Patrick’s sister, has led an unrelenting community search, supported by volunteers who have walked beside her.
‘Patrick’s wallet and identification were discovered by a volunteer, whilst searching difficult terrain.
‘Police were contacted immediately. A detective and crime scene officer attended, conducted a forensic assessment and retrieved the wallet.’
Patrick Liedke (above) was last seen on April 23, 2024
Mr Liedke’s sister, Nicole Liedke (above), has spent almost every day looking for her brother
Ms Liedke on Friday said she and volunteer searchers found her brother’s wallet in bushland (above)
Cobaki is a six-kilometre drive from Piggabeen.
The discovery of the wallet has led Ms Liedke to call for a renewed police search of the wider Piggabeen area.
‘Finding Patrick’s wallet after more than two years is something we set out to do, but after many years of no answers, it was not expected,’ she said.
‘It confirms that our search has been necessary, and it shows that critical evidence is still out there.
‘We are asking the police to renew and expand their search efforts.
‘Patrick deserves to be found.’
Ms Liedke also shared a sincere thank you to the dedicated volunteers who have helped her comb through bushland for the last two years.
‘These incredible volunteers have searched with me through every gruelling kilometre. Without them, this discovery would never have happened,’ she said.
Mr Liedke (above) was last seen by a farmer looking ‘disorientated’ and ‘covered in mud’
Mr Liedke, who was 39 when he went missing, is understood to have complex mental health needs as he has a disability and is neurodiverse.
Queensland and NSW Police combined their efforts for a large search following the discovery of his abandoned car at a property in Cobaki on April 26, 2024.
The search was criticised by Ms Liedke for not being wide enough.
It was called off on May 1.
Ms Liedke believed her brother went into the bush to find ‘peace’ but got lost.
‘I don’t believe he chose (to go missing),’ she said in 2024.
‘It pulled him in, in an overwhelming need to be somewhere calm.
‘Nature gives us the perfect amount of everything, it’s our natural state.’
In July 2024, Ms Liedke swore she would keep searching until her brother was found.
‘I’m tired. I’ve been walking every day searching, door-knocking, driving around,’ she said.
‘I’m never going to stop looking for my brother.’
Mr Liedke is Caucasian, 183cm tall and of a solid build with brown eyes, brown thinning hair and a bushy red-brown beard.
Anyone with information about Mr Liedke’s whereabouts has been urged to contact police immediately.
