The remains of a young woman who vanished in the Blue Mountains 23 years ago have been found. 

Kellie Ann Carmichael, 24, checked out of a hostel in Katoomba, west of Sydney, on April 29, 2001.

She told staff she would collect her belongings after going for a walk but was never seen again.

However, bones discovered by NSW Police in Katoomba last week have been confirmed to belong to her.

‘During an unrelated police operation on Tuesday 30 April 2024 officers attached to Blue Mountains Police Area Command located human remains, in bushland near Katoomba,’ a NSW Police spokeswoman said. 

She told staff she would collect her belongings after going for a walk but was never seen again

‘Following inquires police attended the same location on Monday 27 May 2024, where they located further remains.

‘The human remains initially located and seized have now been formally identified as that of missing person Kellie Ann Carmichael and her family have now been notified.

‘The investigation is being conducted by the Unsolved Homicide Team and a brief of evidence is to be prepared for the Coroner.’

Ms Carmichael’s parents, who live in Geelong in Victoria, have always believed their daughter may have been murdered.

They were were told of the find by officers from the Unsolved Homicide Team. 

A post-mortem examination will now try to determine how Ms Carmichael died. 

The discovery only happened by chance after an officer abseiling down a cliff face as part of an unrelated search spotted the bones among bushland in late April. 

Police returned to the same spot in May where they found more remains. 

However, bones discovered by NSW Police in Katoomba last week have been confirmed as those of Ms Carmichael’s

Ms Carmichael’s parents (pictured), who live in Geelong in Victoria, have always believed their daughter may have been murdered

Ms Carmichael’s parents reported her missing after not hearing from her for six days. 

Her case gripped the nation and resulted in many theories about her disappearance, including whether she had been a victim of a serial killer. 

But a police investigation came to the conclusion she had committed suicide because she suffered from schizophrenia.  

In 2011, the NSW government issued a $200,00 reward for information about her disappearance. 

‘I feel like we’ve been robbed of having our daughter, grandchildren,’ Margaret Carmichael told reporters at the time.

‘We’ve never had the chance to have our daughter… our family has never been the same.’