File still open on missing gold prospector

A white ute belonging to Hugh McAllister, found near the site of his gold mining claim on the West Coast's Greenstone River two years ago. Photo / supplied

Two years after Hugh McAllister disappeared without trace from his Kumara gold claim, police are no closer to solving the mystery - but have not closed the book on the possibility he skipped the country.

The 70-year-old, formerly from Hawke's Bay, was last seen two years ago on Saturday. His son, who still lives in Kumara, found his abandoned ute near his father's claim at Greenstone five days later, on January 26, 2010, complete with $15,000 worth of gold.

West Coast police CIB acting officer in charge, senior sergeant Tim Crawford said Mr McAllister was still officially regarded as a missing person, although the file was currently being reviewed by the police crime manager in Nelson.

"The file is being looked at to see what, if any, further investigation is necessary and if there are bits and pieces to be followed up on that, police at the time may not have thought were significant."

At the time of his disappearance speculation was rife about what may have happened to him.

Police did not rule out the possibility that he had been murdered, and also considered the possibility that he was hiding, being a frequent visitor to Hawke's Bay and Australia.

Yesterday, Mr Crawford said there were lots of theories, but no progress on explaining why he vanished.

Tasman police district manager of criminal investigations, Detective Inspector Geoff Jago, said: "I am aware a number of outcomes are being discussed, one of which is that he is somewhere in Australia."

However, the Australia theory had never been confirmed one way or the other, he said.

Mr McAllister moved to the West Coast five years before he disappeared, to take up gold panning.

Land, air and river searches were carried out, including checks of abandoned mine shafts in the old goldfields, but all failed to turn up any trace of the missing man.

His daughter, Brenda Wilkinson, of Brisbane, said at the time she believed he had been the victim of foul play and had not met with an accident or faked his disappearance.