Inquest Hears Person of Interest Was Allegedly Working at Coalmine When Marilyn Wallman Disappeared

A coronial inquest into the disappearance of Marilyn Joy Wallman has heard evidence that a man identified as a person of interest in the case was allegedly working at a Queensland coalmine more than 100 kilometres away on the day the schoolgirl vanished.

Marilyn, 14, disappeared on March 21, 1972, after leaving home near Mackay to catch a school bus. She was last seen cycling along a dirt road at approximately 7:42am.

Her bicycle was later discovered by her brothers, prompting a search that failed to locate the teenager. Two years later, a fragment of her skull was found at McGregor Creek, about 40 kilometres from where she was last seen, deepening one of Queensland’s longest-running mysteries.

The inquest previously heard evidence from Marilyn’s brother, Rex Wallman, who recalled hearing what sounded like a young girl’s voice near a cane field close to where the bicycle was found. He also told investigators he heard a man’s voice in the area around the same time.

During proceedings this week in Mackay, Noel Morris, a relative of the Wallman family by marriage, was identified as a person of interest in the investigation. Morris has not yet appeared before the inquiry.

On Friday, the inquest heard evidence from Barry Morris, Noel’s uncle, who stated that his nephew had been working at a coal mine on the day Marilyn disappeared.

The testimony could prove significant as the inquiry examines competing theories and historical evidence relating to the teenager’s disappearance more than five decades ago.

The coronial inquest is reviewing witness statements, police records, and new information in an effort to determine what may have happened to Marilyn and whether fresh findings can be made in the longstanding case.

Counsel assisting the coroner continues to examine historical evidence and hear testimony from witnesses connected to the investigation.

The disappearance of Marilyn Wallman remains one of Queensland’s most enduring unsolved cases, and the current inquest is seeking to provide answers for her family after more than 50 years of uncertainty.