'Who knows what waits in North Island,' wrote hitchhiker

Police search ground beside the Ohau River near Levin where the 4WD was found abandoned. Picture / Mark Mitchell

Backpacker Birgit Brauer was happy, loving her trip around New Zealand, enjoying the company of good friends and besotted with the country's beauty in the weeks before she was murdered.

As the German tourist travelled around the country, she wrote lively, fun-filled emails to friend Maike Piel, whom she met while staying at Queenstown's Deco Backpackers for three months.

But an email sent from Blenheim takes on a new meaning in hindsight.

"I've met some nice people in between, so it hasn't been boring ... but I have travelled around a lot and now it's hard when I think about leaving the South Island. But who knows what waits for me in the North Island ... ," reads the final paragraph.

Ms Piel received this email, written in German, as Ms Brauer was heading to Picton before crossing Cook Strait to the North Island on her hitch-hiking holiday.

Last Tuesday the 28-year-old was found murdered and dumped in Lucys Gully 3km south of Oakura in Taranaki.

Witnesses saw her get into a two-door grey or black 1980s Toyota Hilux at Waitotara about 9.30am that day.

Ms Brauer had arrived in New Zealand in February on a working holiday and planned to return home to Dresden in December.

She enjoyed cards and music.

She even took to the unfamiliar game of rugby, watching the All Blacks and asking a friend to explain the rules.

In particular she loved watching the haka and New Zealand's national anthem being performed - something that gave her goosebumps and which she had hoped to experience one day in a stadium.

Yesterday, her body was flown home to her family.

Ms Brauer had hitch-hiked her way around the South Island, from tranquil Stewart Island, where birds helped finish her lunch, to Mt Cook, the beauty of Lake Tekapo and the wild West Coast.

Her emails to her friend tell of how beautiful she thought New Zealand was, and displayed her sense of humour.

On August 10 she wrote to Ms Piel from Stewart Island, a place she called "simply paradise".

"Had a look around and that was very pleasant, with many different bird songs ringing out and lively parrots (I forget the name) ... that even come and finish your meal if you're not careful.

"I've even met two Germans ... one flees to Stewart Island and can't get rid of these bloody Germans."

She wrote that a day did not pass without her thinking of the friends she met while staying at Deco Backpackers and the "inmates from room 9".

"Man, didn't we have a great time."

In Dunedin she drank her favourite drink, Bacardi and cola, and said it would be "truly cool" if she could be sitting with her friends or having a party in room nine as they had done in the past.

By Oamaru, on August 15, she wrote saying she was "rather spent" but spring was in full bloom - "simply fantastic" - and she wished Ms Piel a happy birthday.

She hoped to find a farmstay somewhere on her journey and said the last weeks had been "simply terrific".

Now a police investigation into her murder is focused on the 4WD she was last seen getting into, as police await forensic tests on a vehicle - pulled from the Ohau River near Levin on Wednesday - which fits the description.

A dive team and kayakers searched the Ohau River yesterday, close to where the vehicle was dumped and for some distance downstream.

About two dozen police officers in overalls also conducted a detailed grid search through tussock and swampy land bordering the river.

Results from the tests on the 4WD are expected to be available sometime in the next week or so.

If they come back confirming Ms Brauer spent her last hours alive in the vehicle, the hunt for the person who dumped it there will move into top gear.

It is not known if that person is the as-yet-unnamed man who stole the 4WD from its registered owner in August.

Police have said they do not consider the unnamed man a suspect yet but do want to talk to him. They say it is a concern that he has not come forward on his own.

The Herald reported earlier in the week that police have known for some time the name of the man who stole the vehicle.

Police spokesman Kevin Loughlin said yesterday that "enquiries were continuing to find him".

Mr Loughlin said the officers investigating the homicide sent their condolences to all of Ms Brauer's family.

Police are still searching for Ms Brauer's personal belongings, including her two backpacks.

They are also yet to find the weapon used to stab her in the chest.

Mr Loughlin said finding the belongings would help police with their investigation and possibly in tracing the killer's movements after the murder.

The last known sighting of the Toyota Hilux remains at Cardiff, near Stratford, where the vehicle was seen in a reserve off Opunake Rd at roughly the same time as Ms Brauer's body was being discovered 70km away.

Police would like to hear from anyone who saw the vehicle on that day, especially after 5pm when it was seen at Cardiff.

Anyone with information can call 0800 CRIMESTOP (0800 274-637).

- additional reporting: Elizabeth Binning and Helen Tunnah

Extracts from Birgit Brauer's emails to her friend Maike

August 10

Steward Island war einfachparadisisch, richtig wirklich echt schoen! - und ziemlich ruhig!!! abgesehenund das war sehr angenehm, von den vielen verschiedenen vogelstimmen ringsumher. die frechen papageien (habe den namen vergessen) bringen es sogarfertig das essen zu klauen, wenn man nicht aufpasst. habe sogar, wie soll's auch anders sein, zwei deutsche getroffen, einer ausberlin und meine zimmergenossin aus weisswasser (auch aus sachsen). dafluechtet man bis nach steward island und man wird diese bluddy germansnicht los ...

Translation: Stewart Island was simply paradise, really truly beautiful! - and rather quiet!!! Had a look around and that was very pleasant, with many different bird songs ringing out, and lively parrots (I forget the name) that even come and finish your meal for you if you're not careful. I've even met two Germans ... one flees to Stewart Island and can't get rid of these bloody Germans ...

Of course a day doesn't pass that I don't think of Queenstown, Deco and the inmates from room 9. Man, didn't we have a great time. Today I find myself in Dunedin, for how much longer, I'll see. No idea and who knows where to after that. So, I'm drinking barcadi-colas, would be truly cool if I could be sitting with you in Deco right now, or even better a room 9 party like old times. But I'll always have this sentiment with me now as I travel.

August 15

I'm drifting around in Oamaru, and tomorrow or the following day will set off for Mt Cook. I'm already rather spent. Spring time here is fully under way. It's warm, and the blooming snowdrops, crocusse(?), rhododendrons, cherry trees etc are simply fantastic.

August 30

Am sitting right now in Blenheim.

The last weeks were simply terrific. Been hitch-hiking most of the time. Was truly super. What have I seen? Well, Stewart Island, then a short time in Dunedin, then Oamaru. From there I went to Mt Cook, in between overnighting in the small nest of Otematata, where I had the whole YHA to myself. Mt Cook the next day was super cool. After there, Lake Tekapo, then shortly in Christchurch. From Christchurch I went to Arthurs Pass, then Reefton and the west coast, back through Lewis Pass to the east coast. Stayed in Kaikoura the last two nights, was also very beautiful. Today Blenheim, tomorrow Picton. I'd love to find a farmstay, but hasn't happened yet. I'll have another look tomorrow from Picton.

Would be great and inspiring to see some old familiar faces. EVERYONE SIMPLY COME HERE!!! Well, I guess that's the price I must pay. But I've met some nice people in between, so it hasn't been that boring ... But have travelled around a lot. And now it's hard when I think about leaving the South Island. But who knows what waits for me in the North Island ...