Police Intensify Search for Missing Outback Woman with Vehicle Seizure
South Australian authorities have escalated their efforts to locate Trisha Graf, a 41-year-old woman who vanished from the remote opal mining community of Andamooka nearly three months ago. The renewed investigation has led to the seizure of a vehicle of interest, which is now slated for forensic examination, as police continue to pursue leads in this perplexing disappearance.
Details of the Disappearance and Initial Searches
Trisha Graf was last seen driving along Dunstan Drive in Andamooka, approximately 610 kilometres northwest of Adelaide, around 2am on Friday, December 12, 2025. On the night she went missing, she had been at the Roxby Downs hotel, leaving shortly after 12:19am with a friend. She was operating a white 2012 Ford Territory with South Australian registration S254BCX.
During her journey, Ms Graf struck a kangaroo a short distance from Andamooka but proceeded to a home in the town's northwest. She departed that property just before 2am to drive home, with her last confirmed sighting on Dunstan Drive. Her partner and a friend initiated a search around midday on December 12, discovering her car stuck and undrivable atop a dirt mound near Blue Dam, east of Andamooka.
Recent Police Actions and Search Operations
On Wednesday and Thursday, police conducted an extensive two-day search operation involving officers from the Major Crime Investigation Branch, STAR Group, Far North and State Operations Support Branch, along with State Emergency Service members. They examined 315 points of interest, including mine shafts and disused diggings in the arid Outback region.
While no evidence was recovered during these ground searches, authorities have not ruled out returning to the area as the investigation progresses. In a statement, SA Police emphasized their commitment to the case, noting that the search around Andamooka has concluded for now, but efforts are ongoing. An earlier search of a septic tank at a residential address in Andamooka, where Ms Graf was living, also yielded no evidence.
Community and Ongoing Appeals
Andamooka, a desert opal-mining outpost with a population of about 250, remains at the centre of this investigation. Police are urging anyone with information about Ms Graf's whereabouts or her movements leading up to her disappearance to contact Crime Stoppers. The seizure of the vehicle of interest marks a significant development, potentially providing new clues in this high-profile missing person case.
The forensic examination of the vehicle could reveal critical details, as authorities work tirelessly to piece together the events of that early December morning. The community and law enforcement alike hold hope for answers in the mysterious vanishing of Trisha Graf.
