In a significant development, Victoria Police have stood down the largest tactical policing operation in Australian history, easing stringent travel warnings for the Porepunkah area after a massive four-day search for missing woman Dezi Freeman.
The 47-year-old was last seen near the Buckland Valley Road on Wednesday, sparking an unprecedented response from authorities. The scale of the search was immense, involving specialist officers from the Search and Rescue Squad, Dog Squad, Mounted Branch, and the Air Wing.
Police confirmed that the active ground search has now concluded. While the formal large-scale operation has been scaled back, investigations into Ms. Freeman's disappearance are very much ongoing. Detectives will continue to follow up on specific leads and information provided by the public.
Acting Superintendent Paul Belsey addressed the media, stating, "While the tactical search has been scaled back, we are continuing to investigate Dezi's disappearance and will follow up any new information that comes to light." He emphasised that the decision to scale back was made after expert advice and a thorough search of the difficult terrain.
The operation had previously urged travellers to avoid the area unless absolutely necessary, causing significant disruption. With those warnings now lifted, the community of Porepunkah and the popular tourist region around Bright can begin to return to normalcy, albeit under a cloud of concern.
Authorities have expressed their heartfelt thanks to the local community and emergency service partners for their incredible support and resilience throughout the intense search effort. The police continue to appeal to anyone with information, no matter how small, to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers.
