General News
15 October, 2024
Final push in search for Terry Floyd’s body dependent on community support
Those searching for the remains of Terry Floyd are making an impassioned plea for the community to help put him to rest, starting a fundraiser to back the final leg of the search for the missing Maryborough boy amid funding uncertainty.
Last seen on the side of the Pyrenees Highway outside Avoca on June 28, 1975, a coroner determined in 2001 that Terry had been abducted and murdered, however no body has ever been found.
It’s long been believed that Terry’s remains are in an abandoned mine shaft at Bung Bong Hill, however volunteer-led search efforts have once again ground to a halt amid funding uncertainty.
The Victorian Government had contributed almost $150,000 to the excavation of the mine shaft as of February last year, and despite promises that Terry’s brother and long-time search coordinator Daryl Floyd would not have to fundraise to continue the search, that is the reality he now faces.
“The reality is that we need funding and it was promised by the Victorian Government,” he said.
“I was told that all I had to do was focus on finding Terry, not finding the money to do that because the government would look after it and now we’re ready to finalise this search, I’ve been told the funding won’t be made available.
“We go until the funds run out essentially and if they do run out, we have to stop until we can build them back up which is so heartbreaking.”
On Friday, volunteers returned to the site at Bung Bong Hill and cut a stope, or backdoor, into the mineshaft to allow better airflow for those clearing the mine.
With only one section of the mine still to be cleared and searched, Daryl is confident his brother’s remains are within arms reach — making the funding position even more heartbreaking.
“It feels so desperate at this point — you live in hope of finding answers, but to once and for all find my brother’s remains and put him to rest is my life’s dream,” he said.
“It leaves you feeling very deflated when you get to this point and promised funding isn’t there, there is so much we have to organise and coordinate and now we’re going to have to sit down and figure out how to get that money.
“I’m having to plead to the community to help us and I don’t want to be doing that, of course I’m thankful for the community’s support, but this shouldn’t be put on them, or on me.
“If we have that promise of funding from the government, we can get this done once and for all.”
Previous volunteer-led excavations of the mine have unearthed items of clothing believed to have belonged to Terry, including a piece of cardigan sleeve, elastic from a pair of underwear, a silver necklace and a shoe.
Retired homicide detective Charlie Bezzina has taken on the case of Terry’s disappearance as a private investigator and believes the mine shaft holds more answers about the boy’s abduction and murder.
“Everything we’ve found so far has been promising and leads us to believe Terry’s remains are at the mine site,” he said.
“The big push for us now is funds, we need to get to the bottom of this shaft because all the evidence and information we have points to this place, there’s nowhere else to look.
“There are very strong signs that this is the right place to be.”
Mr Bezzina became involved in the search last year and said while serving justice is a priority, it’s second only to putting Terry to rest.
“This one in particular is a case where poor Daryl has been left in the wilderness,” he said.
“Our priorities are two-fold — firstly, we need to find Terry’s remains so we can put him to rest and secondly, we want to bring someone to justice.”
Victoria Police has confirmed the investigation into the disappearance of Terry Floyd by the Missing Persons Squad remains ongoing.
A $1 million reward with indemnity was announced in 2015 for information in relation to Terry’s disappearance and this reward is still available.
Community members wishing to support the search for Terry financially can do so by heading to the gofundme website and searching for Terry Floyd, or by scanning the QR code below:
