Missing Pāpāmoa woman found safe after search in Kaimai Range

A Pāpāmoa woman missing in the Kaimai Range has been found safe and well, police say.

Nicola O’Connor’s house bus was found on Rapurapu Track in the Lower Kaimai area on Tuesday.

Search and rescue team spent yesterday searching the area without success, police said in a statement.

A police spokeswoman confirmed today O’Connor had “proactively made contact with police late this morning” and that she was “safe and well”.

She also confirmed her bus was burnt out.

A Bay of Plenty Times reporter at the scene said police tape was visible down an unmarked track.

The Rapurapu Kauri Track, located off SH29 on the Matamata side of the Kaimai Range, is a popular day walk for trampers.

O’Connor, 42, was travelling in the grey-coloured Nissan in the Bay of Plenty and Matamata area days before the vehicle was found.