Remains found

By Helen Tatchell

After being missing for the past 28-weeks, the outcome of finding 88-year old Mt Doran resident Albert Smith alive were slim.
The family held out hope, alongside the wider community for his safe return. Unfortunately, on Monday 30 April, human remains found within 500-metres of where Mr Smith was dropped off in Mt Egerton, appear to be that of Mr Smith.
The dense bushland location was where the Coroner and Victoria Police attended on the morning of 30 April.
The last confirmed sighting to police of Mr Smith however was at Morrisons cemetery.
Detective Senior Constable Ben Murray from Bacchus Marsh CIU told the Moorabool News a man out walking discovered the remains about 9.30am.
“The remains are expected to be confirmed as Mr Smith and the coroner will confirm the identity from the teeth and the pacemaker,” he said.
“The remains found at the scene still had a wallet and back brace amongst the clothing.”
Detective SC Murray said the track was not far from the Yendon-Mt Egerton main road and ironically, led past the Mt Egerton Cemetery, 15-kilometres from his home at Mt Doran.
Mr Smith went missing in October 2018 when he voluntarily left the Ballan District Health and Care facility in the early morning of Monday 8 October. He was picked up by a woman in a car on Old Melbourne road Ballan and dropped at a friend’s house in Mt Egerton. The friend was not home at the time.
He has been missing with no trace ever since.
A spokesperson for the family extended their grateful thanks to Victoria Police, SES and the local community in exhausted attempts in searching for their father.
Victoria Police will prepare a report for the coroner and they also thanked local media and members of the public for their assistance.