Tanya Irene FARRINGTON

Tanya (left) with a friend shortly before her disappearance

Do you recognise anyone in this photo? We know the girl in the middle was Glenna Buckley, and one of the guys was called Laurie. This photo was taken in June 1978 - was it taken in Canberra? We believe the photo was taken by missing girl Tanya Farrington. Do you recognise the males in the photo? If you know either of them please contact me - nicole@australianmissingpersonsregister.com

We need to contact any of Tanya's friends or boyfriends from 1978/9. If this is you, or you know where they can be contacted please contact me and I will put you in touch with North Sydney detectives dealing with Tanya's case. I can be contacted on nicole@australianmissingpersonsregister.com,

or you can call Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000


Date of Birth:	1964

Age when missing:	14 years	Height (cm):	167.0	Build:	Thin
Hair Colour:	Brown	Eye Colour:	Green/Hazel	Complexion:	Olive
Nationality:	Australian	Racial Appearance:	Caucasian

Circumstances - Tanya Farrington was last seen at Crows Nest, Sydney on 22 March 1979.

We believe Tanya snuck out of the house the night she went missing, intending to come back before anyone realised she'd gone. It's possible she may have gone to a disco in Manly. We need to know who she was with that night, and what happened to her. It may have been more than 40 years but Tanya needs to be brought home, and her family need to know what happened. Tanya's life was and IS important.

YouTube links - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zikB94ahkI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCyEVK_tmko

***********************************************************************

Reward of $100,000 to solve disappearance and suspected murder of Tanya Farrington

Minister for Police Michael Daley said the Government would offer a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the suspicious disappearance and presumed murder of Tanya Farrington.

"Tanya was 14 years old when she went missing from her home in Crows Nest on the 22nd March 1979," he said.

"She was last seen by her brother the night before watching TV. She was reported missing the following morning when her mother woke to find Tanya's bed hadn't been slept in and the back door was ajar.

"Police understand that Tanya often snuck out at night and may have hitchhiked to Manly to spend time with her friends.

"I'd urge anyone who saw Tanya that night, or might have information about her disappearance to come forward and contact police.

"Police would also like to talk to Tanya's boyfriend at the time to see if he can shed light on what happened that night," he said.

"No price can be placed on getting justice for Tanya - however I do hope that the $100,000 reward might encourage anyone with information to come forward.

"The Farrington family deserves closure, Tanya deserves justice, and those responsible deserve to be behind bars," Mr Daley said.

Grief for Tanya Farrington’s family

05 Aug 09 @ 08:08am by BOEL ERIKSSON - The Mosman Daily

Tanya Farrington disappeared in 1979 at age 14.

AN inquiry into the disappearance of a Crows Nest woman will go to the Coroner’s Court, three decades after she went missing.

Police and family of Tanya Farrington (pictured), who disappeared in 1979 at age 14, have made a final plea to the public for information before the brief is due for the State Coroner on August 21. They hope they will finally get some answers.

Tanya’s brother Anthony Farrington said the disappearance of his only sibling “destroyed the family”, and that he had suffered “30 years of grief” since that fateful night on March 22, 1979, when she was last seen by her family.

Tanya had gone to bed as usual at their family home in Nicholson Place. The next morning she was gone and she has not been seen since.

“Every night after that I used to hear my parents cry,” said Mr Farrington, who was 18 at the time of her disappearance. “It was a pretty miserable time.”

He said in the following months his dad, Anthony, would walk the streets of the lower North Shore, the city and Manly looking for his daughter.

Clutching a photo of Tanya in his hand, he would walk up to strangers, asking if they had seen her.

“Sometimes I would go with him,” Mr Farrington said. “He would walk the streets day and night, looking for her.”

The case received media coverage, including on the popular Mike Walsh Show, yet no vital information came through.

He said the family had lived at Crows Nest for just over a year when it happened, after they moved from the Central Coast due to work opportunities.

“Moving to Sydney was the worst mistake we could have done,” Mr Farrington said. “Tanya was a fun-loving, friendly and happy country girl turning into a woman when she was exposed to the city.”

Mr Farrington said it soon became too hard for him to live with his parents, and when he was 19, he left to travel Australia.

``I sort of hit the track,’’ he said. ``The family was destroyed.’’

Two years later his mother Irene was hit by a car and suffered brain damage and serious injuries to her legs and hip.

``That more or less slowed down the search process,’’ Mr Farrington said. ``My dad had to look after her.’’

Both his parents have since died. Mr Farrington now lives in Canberra with his wife Lianne and two daughters.

Tanya would have turned 45 on October 31 this year.

He said although he was hoping the inquiry would bring out more information, he did not see it as a closure.

``(An inquiry) might be legal closure on paper but, to me, it can’t be a closure because we still don’t know what happened to her,’’ he said.

Sen-Constable Naomi Martin, from Harbourside detectives, said the brief was due for the Coroner on August 21, and a date would then be set for the inquiry to go to court.

She said they were keen to speak to anyone who could remember anything about Tanya, who attended Cremorne Girls’ High School.

``It is also believed that Tanya had a boyfriend about the time she disappeared, although her parents did not know his name,’’ she said.

``Police are very keen to speak with anyone who may have information about her boyfriend, if only to discount him from the investigation.’’

Sen-Constable Martin said the boyfriend was believed to have lived in the Manly area.

``The NSW Police Force investigation remains open and we are hoping someone - even after all these years - may recall something about Tanya which can assist us.’’

Crying every night for Tanya

06 Aug 09 @ 09:15am by Boel Eriksson - North shore Times

AN INQUIRY into the disappearance of a Crows Nest woman will go to the Coroner’s Court, three decades after she went missing.

Police and family of Tanya Farrington, who disappeared on March 22, 1979, at age 14, have made a final plea to the public for information before the brief is due for the State Coroner on August 21.

They still hope to get answers.

Tanya’s brother Anthony said the disappearance of his only sibling “destroyed the family” and that he had suffered “30 years of grief” since that fateful night. Tanya had gone to bed as usual at their Nicholson Pl home but next morning she was gone.

“Every night after that I used to hear my parents cry,” said Mr Farrington, who was 18 at the time.

He said in the following months his dad, Anthony, would walk the streets of the lower North Shore, the city and Manly looking for Tanya. Clutching a photo of Tanya, he’d ask strangers if they had seen her.

Despite wide media coverage no vital information came through.

He said the family had been living at Crows Nest for just over a year after moving from the Central Coast for work.

“Moving to Sydney was the worst mistake,” Mr Farrington said. “Tanya was a fun-loving, friendly and happy country girl turning into a woman when she was exposed to the city.”

Mr Farrington soon left home and two years later his mother Irene was seriously injured when hit by a car. The search for Tanya slowed as his father cared for his wife.

Mr Farrington’s parents have died and he now lives in Canberra with his wife Leanne and two daughters.

Senior Constable Naomi Martin, of Harbourside detectives, said the brief was due for the Coroner on August 21 and a date would then be set for the inquiry to go to court.

She said they were keen to speak to anyone who could remember anything about Tanya, a Cremorne Girls’ High School student.

“It is believed Tanya had a boyfriend (who lived in the Manly area) about the time she disappeared. Police are very keen to speak to anyone who may have information about him, if only to discount him from the investigation.”

Help end 30 years of grief

05 Aug 09 @ 05:44pm - Manly Daily

AN inquiry into the disappearance of a Crows Nest teenager will go to the Coroners Court, three decades after she went missing.

Tanya Farrington was 14 when she disappeared from her home on March 22, 1979.

Her boyfriend at the time is believed to have lived in the Manly area although her surviving family members do not know his name.

Police and family have made the final plea to the public for information before the brief is due for the State Coroner on August 21.

Tanya’s brother Anthony said the disappearance of his only sibling destroyed the family, and that he had suffered 30 years of grief.

Tanya had gone to bed as usual at their family home in Nicholson Place, Crows Nest. The next morning she was gone and she has not been seen since.

“Every night after that I used to hear my parents cry,” Mr Farrington, who was 18 at the time of her disappearance, said. “It was a pretty miserable time.”

He said in the following months his dad, Anthony, would walk the streets of the lower north shore, the city and Manly looking for his daughter.

“Clutching a photo of Tanya in his hand, he would walk up to strangers, asking if they had seen her. Sometimes I would go with him,” Mr Farrington said. “He would walk the streets day and night looking for her.”

Mr Farrington said the family had lived at Crows Nest for just over a year when it happened, having moved from the Central Coast due to work opportunities. “Moving to Sydney was the worst mistake we could have done,” Mr Farrington said.

“Tanya was a fun-loving, friendly and happy country girl turning into a woman when she was exposed to the city.”

He said it soon became too hard for him to live with his parents and, when he was 19, left to travel Australia.

“I sort of hit the track,” he said. “The family was destroyed.”

Two years later his mother Irene was hit by a car and suffered brain damage and serious injuries to her legs and hip.

Both his parents have since died and Mr Farrington now lives in Canberra.

Tanya would have been 45 on October 31 this year.

Mr Farrington said although he was hoping the inquiry would bring out more information, he did not see it as a closure. “(An inquiry) might be legal closure on paper but, to me, it can’t be a closure because we still don’t know what happened to her,” he said.

Sen-Constable Naomi Martin, from Harbourside detectives, said they were keen to speak to anyone who could remember anything about Tanya, who attended Cremorne Girls High School.

Appeal to find North Sydney girl missing for 30 years

Monday, 10 Aug 2009 01:44pm

Harbourside Police are hoping that National Missing Person’s Week may prompt the memory of local residents about the disappearance of a teenage girl more than 30 years ago.

Tanya Farrington was only 14 years old when she was last seen at her family home in Nicholson Place at Crows Nest on the night of Thursday 22 March 1979.

Senior Constable Naomi Martin from Harbourside Detectives said Tanya’s family later told police she’d gone to bed as usual but the following morning it was apparent her bed had not been slept in. She has not been seen since.

“The family flat and surrounding areas were searched by police; there was no sign of forced entry and none of Tanya’s belongings appeared to have been removed,” Snr Cst Martin said.

“Tanya’s parents, Irene and Anthony Farrington, made appeals for information about Tanya’s whereabouts in the media, and the case received extensive coverage on high-rating TV shows including The Mike Walsh Show but sadly Tanya has not been found,” Snr Cst Martin said.

“The Farringtons never stopped searching for Tanya, they would walk the streets asking if anyone had seen their daughter, they appeared in many newspaper articles and worked with the Salvation Army to try and find Tanya.

“Sadly both of Tanya’s parents are now dead but the NSW Police Force investigation remains open and we are hoping someone – even after all these years – may recall something about Tanya which can assist us.

Senior Constable Martin said that while Tanya was only 14, she was often mistaken for being older than her years and was an outgoing girl.

“Tanya attended Cremorne Girls High School and has been described as being rebellious but not out of control. Like many 14-year-old girls she liked music and played the guitar.

“While she had no history of running away for long periods, a few of her friends told police at the time that Tanya would sometimes sneak out of the house at night to meet friends.

“It is also believed that Tanya had a boyfriend about the time she disappeared, although her parents did not know his name.

“Police are very keen to speak with anyone who may have information about her boyfriend, if only to discount him from the investigation.

“Police are also aware that a few months before Tanya disappeared she’d failed to return home overnight and was found with her boyfriend on Manly beach the following morning. We are keen to speak with this person, who we believe may have lived in the Manly area at the time,” Snr Cst Martin said.

When Tanya went missing she was living at home with her parents and older brother Anthony. While Tanya’s parents are now dead, Anthony has never given up trying to find his sister.

“Tanya would be 45 years old this October 30. Her family lives in hope she will be found, and we hope someone in the community will come forward to assist us with this investigation,” Snr Cst Martin said.

This theme of this year’s National Missing Persons Week is ‘Not knowing is like living in darkness’, which reflects the experience of those left behind.

There are currently 1,600 people listed as long-term missing across Australia, 620 of those are in NSW.

Anyone with relevant information about Tanya Farrington that may assist the police investigation into her disappearance is urged to contact Senior Constable Naomi Martin at Harbourside Detectives on 9956 3199 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

MISSING for 30 years: Tanya Farrington

10/08/2009 4:00:00 AM - Thom Klein, Port Macquarie News

FOR Anthony Farrington the ordeal of an imminent coroner’s briefing maybe the last chance of ever discovering the fate of the sister he last saw 30 years ago.

Tragically, his parents have gone to their graves not knowing what happened to their daughter Tanya.

Mr Farrington hopes someone from Port Macquarie, the family’s hometown, will come forward with information that might lead to a breakthrough clue on his sister’s disappearance.

Tanya Farrington was a 14-year-old adjusting to the frantic pace of life in Sydney when she was last seen, on March 22, 1979.

The family loved life in the Hastings, but in those days of boom and bust, her dad – a painter – had taken the tough decision to move to where the work was, after it dried up here.

The Farringtons swapped the idyllic beach-led lifestyle they savoured, for the hustle-bustle of living above a shop on the Pacific Hwy at Crows Nest.

If it was tough enough for the parents and her brother – who, as an 18-year-old then, worked with his dad – it was another world for the high school student.

“Tanya was a vivacious, friendly, happy and confident person,” Mr Farrington explained, “way beyond her years in looks and attitude.

“When we moved from Port she was developing from a country girl into a young city woman in busy Sydney.”

It was a difficult transition for Tanya to make and with Anthony, she used to travel up to Port Macquarie to spend weekends with their friends.

She went to bed on that March evening, but by the next morning she had disappeared without a trace.

Tanya had sneaked out overnight once before, returning safely. Not this time.

“By the second day of her disappearance, Mum and Dad were starting to freak out and stress,” Mr Farrington said.

“I blocked it out, but a month later I broke and realised she might never come back.”

He knew his young sister would not have put their parents through the ordeal of her running away.

Police investigations shed little light on the case, other than the rumour of Tanya going to a disco in Manly.

Another line of inquiry was that she had headed back towards Port Macquarie.

Mr Farrington has made an appeal to the community here.

“If you have any snippet of information, even if it’s just a rumour you’ve heard, please come forward and share it,” he said.

“The coroner’s briefing is the last roll of the dice for information. After this it’s lost forever.”

A family fractured for ever

10/08/2009 4:00:00 AM - Port Macquarie News

THE disappearance of a child is every parent’s worst nightmare.

For Tony and Irene Farrington, the loss of their daughter Tanya was the beginning of a downward spiral that left them haunted until their deaths.

“The family disintegrated. That one day in 1979 ruined our lives,” Anthony Farrington said.

“Mum went around the twist, Dad ended up with a drink problem and I went off the rails on drugs and alcohol.”

Tony Farrington traipsed the streets of north Sydney and the city centre with photographs of his younger child asking strangers if they had seen her.

He died in 2006, none the wiser about Tanya’s fate, believing the worst mistake he had made in his life was moving the family to Sydney.

Irene Farrington died in 1998, after enduring nearly 20 years of emotional torture.

Anthony Farrington and his wife Lianne continue to hunt for the clues that might bring some form of closure.

A Facebook group has attracted more than 600 members, but as yet no leads.

“There’s a one-in-a-million chance someone has heard something,” Mr Farrington said.

“I completely understand why people might have kept quiet in the past, but if there’s anything at all I’d urge them to help us find some answers.”

The officer leading the investigation has echoed Mr Farrington’s call for information.

Snr Const Naomi Martin of North Sydney Detectives wants help, too.

“Police also aware that a few months before Tanya disappeared she’d failed to return home overnight and was found with her boyfriend on Manly beach the following morning.

“We are keen to speak with this person, who we believe may have lived in the Manly area at the time.”

If you can help, please call Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000, or contact Senior Constable Naomi Martin on 9956 3129

Transcript - Stateline

Rewards

Broadcast: 18/09/2009

Reporter: Lucy McNally

QUENTIN DEMPSTER, PRESENTER: Here is a story about law and order in this state. What do police and their political masters do when they hit a dead end in their investigations into major unsolved crimes? Do they front the media, scratching their heads and looking baffled? No, they offer a big, fat reward for information. It all sounds impressive, but of the dozens of rewards on offer in this state, only two have ever been paid out. So, is it all just hype? Lucy McNally reports.

LUCY MCNALLY, REPORTER: Tony Farrington knows what it's like to want answers. His sister Tanya disappeared 30 years ago from Sydney when she was just 14 years old.

TONY FARRINGTON, TANYA'S BROTHER: It was around 11 o'clock and I said goodnight to ‘Tanga’. We were watchin' TV together. And that was basically the last I saw of her. We woke up in the morning and her bed was empty. And initially, I was cranky, 'cause I thought she snuck out, you know, did something. By the following night, I was gettin' real worried. Mum and dad were freakin' out straight away. And then another day went past and another day, and anger started to turn to worry. It probably took me about a month until I realised I wasn't gonna see her again.

LUCY MCNALLY: Police think Tanya Farrington may have set out to hitchhike from the family home at Crows Nest, either to her favourite hangout spot at Manly Wharf or all the way back to her hometown of Port Macquarie. Tony Farrington says his sister's disappearance may be linked to other suspected abductions at the time.

TONY FARRINGTON: There's heaps of them. You know, between Sydney and Newcastle, that time we've tracked down at least 22 missing people in an 18-month period. And I think most are girls, except for a couple of boys.

LUCY MCNALLY: For three decades, Tony Farrington has been tormented by the uncertainty of not knowing what became of his little sister that night. It's something that the 48-year-old will have to relive next year when a coronial inquest into Tanya Farrington's disappearance gets underway in Sydney. Tony Farrington says he doesn't know if it will help solve the mystery.

TONY FARRINGTON: For years, you dream about bumping into her in the street, and at the same time you have the worst nightmares of what coulda happened to her.

LUCY MCNALLY: Are they missing or dead? For hundreds of families in NSW, that's the question that keeps them awake at night. There are 911 people missing in the state now. Statistics show about 300 of those will show up in the next week or so. But the remaining 70 per cent become file names for a handful of NSW Police working in the Missing Persons Unit.

Tony Farrington hopes an inquest can uncover the truth about what happened to his sister. But at the very least, he'd like to see the Coroner recommend that the State Government post a reward for new information about the case.

TONY FARRINGTON: Money talks in this world. And, you know, we've checked up a few things and there's a few missing people with rewards anywhere from $50,000 to $250,000. But I don't understand how one missing person can be worth $50,000 and another one $250,000. Good luck to the people, you know. I know what they've gone through. But I hope Tanya can get a reward.

LUCY MCNALLY: If a reward is offered for information about the Tanya Farrington disappearance, it will become one of dozens of other police cases that are now part of the government reward scheme.

There are currently 48 rewards on offer, totalling $6 million on this police website. In just the last 12 months, the Government has announced more than a dozen new rewards, mostly for murders or missing persons.

TONY KELLY, FORMER POLICE MINISTER (August 18): There are now some 48 on that website and that's available for anyone to have a look at, in case they might have some information and might be able to claim some of that money.

LUCY MCNALLY: But offering the rewards is the easy part. Following through and actually paying the money to anyone has proven to be less straightforward for the State Government.

MICHAEL KENNEDY, UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN SYDNEY: Unfortunately, it's a characteristic of both sides of politics to engage in this sort of spin, where they put things forward that are more symbolic and more about style than substance. And clearly, there is no shortage of rewards that's been offered - there are heaps of them, but only two have been paid.

LUCY MCNALLY: And of the two rewards that have in fact been paid by the State Government, the first was $500,000 for the 1996 conviction of Ivan Milat. Another nine years passed before there was another payout made. $50,000 was paid for the information that led to the conviction of Michael Gyder. Gyder is now serving a minimum 12-year sentence for the manslaughter of nine-year-old Bondi girl Samantha Knight.

In fact the last decade, 70 people have applied to collect a reward for information they've provided to policy, but it's only in the Samantha Knight that someone has actually received the cash, and even then the full amount wasn't paid.

Former detective and Sydney academic Dr Michael Kennedy says State Government promises of rewards are just that: promises only.

MICHAEL KENNEDY: It's about staying in power - getting in power and staying in power at any cost. And if that means a bit of a sweetener by offering rewards, whether they pay them or not is just irrelevant.

LUCY MCNALLY: The major stumbling block for the informants is that rewards are only paid if someone is convicted of the crime.

MICHAEL KENNEDY: Well it's an absurd situation in an adversarial system because a jury may well come back with a verdict of not guilty. But that doesn't mean to say that the person hasn't done what they're accused of.

LUCY MCNALLY: But the policeman in charge of rewards, Assistant Commissioner Bob Waites, defends the way the rewards system is managed, insisting rewards can't be paid until the crime has been solved.

BOB WAITES, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, NSW POLICE: The crime's not solved until there is a conviction. Arresting someone and having them then be acquitted at court doesn't lead to a conviction. And the crime still exists and has to be - stay on the books until such time as it is actually - there is a conviction of an actual offender.

LUCY MCNALLY: What's more, not everyone who thinks they are entitled to a reward will get one.

BOB WAITES: We often get people who will give us information. Later on, they will simply hear there's been a conviction and read in the press something about the information they gave, and for that reason will ask for a percentage of the reward.

LUCY MCNALLY: But even if they are never ultimately paid, Bob Waites says rewards will still serve a useful purpose if they can provide some comfort to the victim's family.

BOB WAITES: The value of the reward is to remind them that the police have not stopped, that we are constantly trying to solve that particular problem.

LUCY MCNALLY: And for his part, Tony Farrington just hopes that a reward for information about his sister's disappearance might help to trigger the breakthrough that explains her fate.

TONY FARRINGTON: There's these people who did these things to all these missing kids, and most of them were, and you think after 20 or 30 years they'd have the balls to give information about where remains of some of these kids might be found. You know, they were big enough men to do these crimes, and after 30 years, what, are they scared of gettin' caught? Have a go, you know. Tell the police where to find these remains.

QUENTIN DEMPSTER: Lucy McNally reporting.

30-year search for Tanya goes on

5/10/2009 9:35:00 AM - Port Macquarie News

THIRTY years may have passed, but the pain of loss and the unknown is still very real for the Farrington family.

The hunt for answers about the disappearance of a then 14-year-old Tanya Farrington more than three decades ago goes on.

As the result of a story in the Port News in August and the work of the Australian Missing Persons Register, more people have come forward with what could be vital information.

Nicole Morris, who started the register, said three people contacted police and she spoke with five people after the Port News appealed for help.

“Right now we hope the police and the NSW Coroner will see that there is more information out there and that there is no need to close the case into her disappearance,” Ms Morris said.

“We need to remind people that even though so many years have gone by it is never too late to come forward with information.

“For the family and friends the pain never goes away it is something they deal with everyday.”

Ms Morris is awaiting an announcement from the police of a date for the coronial inquest into Miss Farrington’s disappearance.

Miss Farrington was last seen in Sydney on March 22, 1979, and her brother Anthony Farrington hopes someone in their hometown of Port Macquarie may know something of her disappearance.

Click on www.australianmissingpersonsregister.com or call 0438 900 861 to find out more.

There are 620 long-term missing persons listed in NSW.

Appeal to find North Sydney girl missing for 30 years

Friday, 30 Oct 2009 05:18am

Harbourside Police are appealing for public information into the disappearance of a teenage girl from her home more than 30 years ago.

Tanya Farrington was only 14 years old when she was last seen at her family home in Nicholson Place at Crows Nest on the night of Thursday 22 March 1979. Tomorrow would mark Tanya’s 45th birthday.

Harbourside’s Detective Senior Constable Naomi Martin said Tanya’s family later told police she’d gone to bed as usual but the following morning it was apparent her bed had not been slept in. She has not been seen since.

“The family flat and surrounding areas were searched by police; there was no sign of forced entry and none of Tanya’s belongings appeared to have been removed,” Snr Cst Martin said.

“Tanya’s parents, Irene and Anthony Farrington, made appeals for information about Tanya’s whereabouts in the media, and the case received extensive coverage on high-rating TV shows including The Mike Walsh Show but sadly Tanya has not been found,” Snr Cst Martin said.

“Tanya’s family never stopped searching for her, they would walk the streets asking if anyone had seen their daughter. They appeared in many newspaper articles and worked with the Salvation Army to try and find Tanya.

“Sadly, both of Tanya’s parents are now dead but the NSW Police Force investigation remains open and we are hoping someone – even after all these years – may recall something about Tanya which can assist us.

Senior Constable Martin said while Tanya was only 14, she was often mistaken for being older than her years and was an outgoing girl.

“Tanya was described as being rebellious but not out of control. Like many 14-year-old girls she liked music and played the guitar.

“While she had no history of running away for long periods, a few of her friends told police at the time that she would sometimes sneak out of the house at night to meet friends.

“It is also believed that Tanya had a boyfriend about the time she disappeared, although her parents did not know his name.

“Police are very keen to speak with anyone who may have information about her boyfriend, if only to discount him from the investigation.

“Police are also aware that a few months before Tanya disappeared she’d failed to return home overnight and was found with another boyfriend on Manly beach the following morning. We are keen to speak with this person, who we believe may have lived in the Manly area at the time,” Snr Cst Martin said.

When Tanya went missing she was living at home with her parents and older brother, also called Anthony. While Tanya’s parents are now dead, Anthony has never given up hoping he will find his sister.

“Tanya would be 45 years old tomorrow. Her family lives in hope she will be found, and we hope someone in the community will come forward to assist us with this investigation,” Snr Cst Martin said.

Anyone with information about Tanya Farrington, either on the night she disappeared or any information since, is urged to contact Harbourside Police on 9956 3199 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

What happened to Tanya Farrington ?

By police reporter Lucy McNally - ABC

Posted Fri Oct 30, 2009 3:08pm AEDT

When Tony Farrington said goodnight to his sister Tanya on March 22 1979, he had no idea it would be the last time he would see her.

Mr Farrington has re-lived that night at their home in Crows Nest, in Sydney's north, countless times.

This week marks what would be the 14-year-old's 45th birthday. Her brother can still vividly recall the last time he saw her.

"Everybody went to bed and Tanya was the last one up still watching TV. Not sure what time it was, pretty late, probably about eleven o'clock," he said.

"Next morning we woke up and her bed was empty. She hadn't slept in it and basically she was never seen again."

At first, the Farrington family assumed the 14-year-old ran away for the night, possibly to meet her boyfriend at the time.

"Once previously before Tanya had stayed out through the night like some girls do - they sneak out," he said.

"She was seeing her boyfriend and that was a big drama. Initially we thought she did the same thing.

"But after the second day we knew something was wrong. Even though she was playing up a bit we were still a pretty close family and I knew she wouldn't do that to my Mum and Dad."

As the days passed, Tanya's family grew increasingly worried. Her friends could not shed any light on where she had gone.

Searching for answers

Tanya Farrington's father used to roam the streets of Sydney showing strangers a photo of his little girl.

He and his wife went to their graves not knowing what happened to their daughter.

Tony Farrington does not want the same thing to happen to him. As the sole survivor of the family, he feels it is his duty to search for answers.

He has tried to track down the man who was seeing Tanya - but he does not know his name.

"She was seeing a guy down at Manly at the time," he said.

"He was a lot older than her, he was about 18 or 19 and we don't suspect him of anything but we just want to find him to get some information off him.

"You know, how often had she been sneaking out? How long had he known her?"

A family destroyed

Tony Farrington says his sister's disappearance destroyed his family.

"It changed the course of my life," he said.

"My mum probably took it the hardest, it destroyed her, that was her little girl. It affected Dad but he stayed strong.

"For a long time I hid from it for my own sanity."

Tony Farrington moved back to the town where he grew up on the state's mid north coast, Port Macquarie, in the years after his sister's disappearance.

But he says that was no escape, with old friends constantly asking him if he had heard any news.

Now he is looking to a coronial inquest to be held in Sydney early next year as his last source of hope.

"It's coming up to Tanya's inquest and it's all on the surface [of my mind]. Thinking about it all the time, " he said.

The 48-year-old knows what happened to his little sister may be too awful to bear.

"For years, you dream about bumping into her in the street, and at the same time you have the worst nightmares of what coulda happened to her."

But he wants justice.

"There's these people who did these things to all these missing kids and you think after 20 or 30 years they'd have the balls to give information about where remains of some of these kids might be found.

"You know, they were big enough men to do these crimes, and after 30 years, what, are they scared of gettin' caught? Have a go, you know. Tell the police where to find these remains."

Reward hope for missing women

14 Apr 10 @ 10:15am by Boel Eriksson - Mosman Daiily

POLICE are hoping three $100,000 rewards will help solve the mystery surrounding three North Shore women, whose disappearances have haunted their families for decades.

Tanya Farrington disappeared from her Crows Nest home at age 14 on March 22, 1979.

A year later, on January 24, 1980, Cammeray resident Marion Sandford posted a note to her brother Peter saying she would be home within a week. He never saw her again.

Ten weeks later, on April 6, 1980, Linda Davie was last seen at St Leonards.

Detective Sergeant Robert George from Harbourside detectives said rewards for information solving missing persons cases had worked well in the past.

He said police had received “a handful” of calls about the three cases in the past few days. They were still investigating the details.

“We are hoping to solve this to give the families peace,” he said.

Miss Farrington’s older brother Tony said he was “not optimistic” the $100,000 reward would lead to a conviction but hoped someone could provide a lead to help find his sister’s body.

“I’ve always pictured her in a shallow grave or in bushland or something,” he said. “There might not be much left but that’s how I pictured her all these years and I do not want her to stay like that.”

Call Harbourside on 9956 3199 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Rewards offered for cold cases

April 11, 2010 - 1:54PM

AAP - SMH

Rewards of $100,000 are being offered for information leading to a conviction in two historic suspected murder cases.

Tanya Farrington and Linda Suzanne Davie both disappeared in suspicious circumstances more than 30 years ago and are presumed by police to have been murdered.

NSW Detective Sergeant Robert George responded to media reports that police were investigating possible links between the girls and notorious criminals including underworld identity John Anderson, serial killer Ivan Milat and New Zealander "Mr Asia" drug syndicate head Terry Clark.

"Any suggestion of those links is just speculation," he told reporters in Sydney on Sunday.

Tanya was 14 when she went missing from her Crows Nest home on Sydney's north shore on March 22, 1979, he said.

She was last seen by her brother watching TV late at night in the family home but was gone when her mother woke up in the morning.

Ms Davie, then 22, has not been seen since she returned to her north shore Wollstonecraft home after visiting her boyfriend in Royal North Shore Hospital on April 6, 1980.

The New Zealander's boyfriend received a letter saying that she would be away until the following week - she was never seen again.

Neither of the women had any reason to deliberately disappear, Det Sgt George said.

"They have not contacted their families in over 30 years," he said.

"We presume that what has happened to them is a result of murder or foul play."

NSW Police Minister Michael Daley said Tanya often snuck out at night and may have hitchhiked to Manly to spend time with friends.

"I'd urge anyone who saw Tanya that night, or might have information about her disappearance to come forward," he told reporters.

Police would also like to speak to Tanya's boyfriend at the time and two men who are believed to have driven Ms Davie and a friend home from Kings Cross on April 5, 1980.

Police are asking anyone with information to call crime stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Shining a new light on trio who vanished in the night

April 11, 2010 - SMH

eduff@sunherald.com.au

Three young women disappeared from Sydney's north shore in the space of a year. Were they linked to a wider network of crimes? For the sake of their families, police are determined to find the answers, writes EAMONN DUFF.

MARION SANFORD and Linda Davie are inextricably linked by haunting letters that have left their loved ones in limbo for three decades.

Marion mailed a note to her brother on January 24, 1980, the 23-year-old writing that she had met friends and would be back within a week. She never came home.

Ten weeks later, Linda's boyfriend received a similar letter, explaining that the 22-year-old beauty had gone away for a few days.

Tanya Farrington was a 14-year-old last seen watching TV in her family home in Crows Nest.

She vanished without a trace.

The women lived in neighbouring suburbs on Sydney's north shore, just kilometres away from the family home of 14-year-old Tanya Farrington, who disappeared a year earlier.

The Sun-Herald can today reveal the three cold cases are the focus of a major new NSW Police investigation in which detectives are examining possible links with three of the state's most notorious criminals: underworld identity John Anderson, serial killer Ivan Milat and ''Mr Asia'' drug syndicate head Terry Clark.

Linda Davie, 22, left her native New Zealand to live with her boyfriend Stephen Lavender in Wollstonecraft.

Nothing and no one are ruled out.

Harbourside Investigations manager Detective Sergeant Robert George said: ''The difficulty we have with all three girls is that there is nothing solid to suggest what happened. One minute they were there, the next they weren't. I suppose you assume with young females that it's a predatory-style case. If you are going to work under that assumption, then there were quite a few people doing that sort of thing back then.''

Between 1978 and 1989, Milat's job as a Roads and Traffic Authority worker had him constantly on the move between Taree and Wollongong. Some of that work brought him to Sydney's northern suburbs.

Both Linda and the drug-addicted Marion hailed from New Zealand, like Clark, whose heroin-trafficking operations were built on a network of attractive young female couriers, some of whom wound up dead.

Detective Sergeant George said investigators would re-examine the crime spree of the ''wolf pack'' who murdered teenager Trudie Adams - last seen outside Newport Surf Club, on Sydney's northern beaches, in June 1978. Police have concluded the 18-year-old was pack-raped, then killed. Those responsible have been linked to 14 other sex attacks around that time. Nine of the girls were raped by two armed men who abducted them while they were hitchhiking along Barrenjoey Road between Mona Vale and Palm Beach.

Police sources have previously told The Sun-Herald that the Adams case was linked to ''a string of unsolved killings''. A key suspect, John Anderson, who is behind bars for drug smuggling, denies any involvement. There is a $250,000 reward for information leading to a conviction over Trudie Adams's murder, and three separate $100,000 rewards will today be offered to anyone who helps solve the Davie, Farrington and Sanford mysteries.

''We have a vacuum of information,'' Detective Sergeant George said. ''We need people to come forward and help join the dots.''

Tanya Farrington disappeared from her home in Crows Nest on March 22, 1979. She was last seen watching TV by her younger brother Tony the previous evening.

''It was a normal family night, my parents and I went to bed,'' Tony Farrington, now 48, said. ''When we woke up next morning, her bed hadn't been slept in.

''Tanya was one of those girls who was far more mature, in looks and manner, than her 14 years suggested. It had emerged she'd been going out partying, as young ones do. But after four weeks, we instinctively knew we'd never see her again because she would never have done that to us.''

Tony Farrington is convinced she was abducted. ''So many women were disappearing back then. Was it Milat? It's our worst nightmare … but I think it's possible.''

While the Farringtons were bracing for the first anniversary of Tanya's disappearance, Peter Sanford sat in neighbouring Cammeray, trying to make sense of a letter that arrived on January 27, 1980, three days after his sister Marion vanished. It read: ''I am not at all sure when I will be home but it should be within 2 days to 1 week at the latest I suppose! Met a couple of friends. See you later, love Marion.''

He said the letter appeared to have been written in a hurry.

Police believe Marion's disappearance could be linked to Sydney's drug-stoked underbelly. But the family has recently discovered that she made a habit of hitchhiking along the north shore. ''There are countless scenarios,'' Peter Sanford said.

Stephen Lavender received a strikingly similar letter from his girlfriend Linda Davie in April that same year. As soon as he read it, he knew something sinister had occurred.

''We met in New Zealand: I was 25, she was 22. Soon after, she moved to Australia to be with me. We were madly in love,'' he said.

The couple lived with friends at Wollstonecraft and had been together for two years when Mr Lavender was admitted to Royal North Shore Hospital with a stomach illness.

''Linda came and saw me every day that first week and then suddenly, she disappeared. She never returned home, all her belongings were untouched. That's when the letter arrived. It had been mailed from a postbox near the hospital.''

It said: ''I shall be gone for a few days until the middle of the week. See you then, get well quickly. I love you lots. Linda.''

''I immediately became worried because she had beautiful handwriting and this was spidery, it looked coerced, forced. I think she was lured somewhere, taken away - and the letter was simply a way of buying time for whoever took her.''

It later emerged that on April 5, the night before her last hospital visit, Linda went to the Manzil Room nightclub in Kings Cross with a friend, where two men attempted to pick them up, before later dropping Linda home. Police believe those two men hold vital information.

''There are people out there who can help give three families the closure they deserve,'' Detective Sergeant George said.

Tanya Farrington inquest to be heard at coroner's court

30 Nov 10 @ 09:10am by BOEL ERIKSSON - Mosman Daily

A ONE-day inquest into the disappearance of Crows Nest teenager Tanya Farrington will be held on Thursday at the NSW State Coroner’s Court in Glebe.

Miss Farrington disappeared from her Nicholson Place home at age 14 on March 22, 1979.

The case has been mentioned in the Coroner’s Court several times since September last year, including Friday, to determine if an inquest should be held.

Missing person Tanya Farrington last seen in 1992, court told

2 Dec 10 @ 02:56pm by BOEL ERIKSSON - Mosman Daily

WITNESS statements claiming that a Crows Nest woman who went missing 31 years ago has been seen numerous times, as late as 1992, were revealed in the Coroner’s Court in Glebe today.

Tanya Farrington (pictured) was last seen by her family at their Nicholos Parade home in 1979, when she was 14.

A coroner’s inquiry into her suspected death started today.

The court heard from Sen-Constable Naomi Martin, a Harbourside detective who has led the investigation for the past few years, that one of Miss Farrington’s ``good friends’’ saw her about three years after she went missing.

But the witness and his sister, Miss Farrington’s former classmate from Cremorne Girls’ High School, did not tell Miss Farrington’s family or report it to police at the time.

Another witness claimed Miss Farrington went to see her parents at their unit block in Queensland in the early ‘90s and asked the landlord if she could see them, but they were not home at the time.

The landlord has since died.

The court also heard that one witness claimed she saw Miss Farrington in Kings Cross in the early ‘90s working as a prostitute.

When questioned about it by Sgt Sheena Bucknell, the advocate assisting the coroner, Sen-Constable Martin, said it ``may be plausible’’ but she questioned the credibility of that witness.

She said the witness had described Miss Farrington as ``skinny’‘, which she doubted was correct because Miss Farrington had been of a ``solid build’‘.

Sen-Constable Martin also told the court that a woman had called ``about a week and a half ago’’ to tell them a man who has previously denied to police that he had ever met Miss Farrington had in fact been Miss Farrington’s boyfriend around the time of her disappearance.

Sen-Constable Martin said two other witnesses had, years ago, also said that the Kempsey man had been Miss Farrington’s boyfriend for a short time in 1979, but the statements from those witnesses had been deemed ``uncredible’‘.

Deputy State Coroner Hugh Dillon stressed to the court that while the man was in ``no way’’ a suspect in the disappearance, police would try and speak with him again to tell him about the new evidence.

When Mr Dillon asked Miss Farrington’s brother Anthony Farrington Jr, who with wife Leanne were the only two relatives present in the court room, if he would like Sen-Constable Martin to investigate the latest claim further, Mr Farrington said yes.

``It’s one shot at (knowing) something more,’’ he said.

Mr Farrington told the court that while he believed his sister had died during the night of her disappearance, he would still like further investigation as a chance of knowing more about how she died.

Miss Farrington was last seen by her family in the evening on March 22, 1979.

When her mother Irene walked into her bedroom the morning after to wake her up for school, she saw that the bed had not been slept in, and the door to their house on Nicholson Parade was ajar.

Sen-Constable Martin said it appeared that Miss Farrington had intended to return home because of the open door and the fact that she had not taken any personal belongings.

During questioning by Sgt Bucknell, Sen-Constable Martin confirmed that Miss Farrington had been ``rebellious’‘, sexually active, a consumer of alcohol and cannabis and was known to hitch-hike.

It was also said that she had numerous boyfriends that were all about four years older than her, and that she was known to the child and welfare office workers in Chatswood for truancy.

The court also heard that Miss Farrington had been sad about the family’s move from Port Macquarie the year before, but not depressed or suicidal.

Sen-Constable Martin stressed that Miss Farrington had been from a loving family with no domestic abuse or neglect.

She said Miss Farrington and her mum had been ``best friends’‘, her father had been ``a bit strict’’ but only with his daugther’s best interest in mind, and her brother Anthony Jr had been someone she had ``looked up to’‘.

The court was shown part of two episodes - one from 1979 and 1982 - of the national Mike Walsh Show to highlight the extent the family and police went to to look for Miss Farrington through the media.

Mrs Farrington appeared in both episodes to plead for people to come forward with information.

Mr Farrington wiped tears off his face when watching the footage of his late mother.

He said he had never seen the episodes because he did not think he would have been able to handle it.

The footage showed Mrs Farrington breaking down in tears as she spoke about her missing daughter, saying that she was ``clinging on to’’ the fact that there was no evidence of death, but also said she had ``(run) out of prayers’‘.

In the end of the sitting, Mr Dillon asked Mr Farrington if he would like to address the court.

Mr Farrington spoke about how he and his sister grew up together and were close, and that she was just partying sometimes on the weekends like any other teenager.

He said the claims of her hitch-hiking made him think that she had sneaked out of home that night and got into trouble, which led to her death.

He said he believed she had died that night, and not run away from home with a boy or to work in Kings Cross.

His voice cracked with emotion as he told the court: ``She would not have just left, I know that. She would not have done that to us.’‘

Mr Dillon adjourned the court until February 25, but told Mr Farrington and wife Leanne that a breakthrough was unlikely.

``Let’s not get our hopes up,’’ Mr Dillon said.

Call the National Missing Persons Co-ordination Centre on 1800 000 634.

Mystery of Tanya: vanished into 'cold city' at 14

By Kim Arlington SMH

February 25, 2011 — 2.39pm

For an outgoing country girl like Tanya Farrington, Sydney was a "cold city".

In 1979, a year after her family moved down from Port Macquarie, 14-year-old Tanya disappeared.

Her brother Tony, then 18, said goodnight to her as she watched TV at their Crows Nest home on March 22.

The next morning, her family woke to find her bed had not been slept in. The front door was slightly ajar.

Today a Deputy State Coroner, Hugh Dillon, found Tanya died about the time she disappeared, but the evidence did not enable him to say how or where.

It was possible she sneaked out of home, was picked up while hitchhiking and was "spirited away by somebody", Mr Dillon said.

"During the late '70s and early '80s there were a spate of kidnappings and even worse - murders and rapes - perpetrated by men who picked up hitchhiking young women," he told the Coroner's Court at Glebe.

"It is a possibility ... that this has happened to Tanya. One must fear the worst, because she has never been seen or heard of since."

A popular and outgoing girl, Tanya used to hitch around Port Macquarie. A student at Cremorne Girls High, she had slipped out of home before.

That was "not to say she was a wild young girl", Mr Dillon said; it was typical teenage behaviour.

Delivering an open finding into her death, Mr Dillon offered his sympathy to Mr Farrington, saying: "I don't know how it's possible for a person to carry this burden of sadness for so long."

Outside the court, Mr Farrington described Sydney as a "cold city" for a girl who had enjoyed "all the freedom she wanted in the country" and missed her home town.

During the late '70s and early '80s there were a spate of kidnappings and even worse - murders and rapes - perpetrated by men who picked up hitchhiking young women

His parents, Tony and Irene, have since died. Mr Farrington said his father once told him that moving to Sydney was the biggest mistake they ever made.

Mr Dillon today described as a "false sighting" a report that Tanya had been seen working as a prostitute in Kings Cross some years after her disappearance.

Mr Farrington knew long ago that his little sister was not coming home.

"I knew my sister wouldn't run away and do that to our parents," he said. "I just came to the realisation I wasn't going to see her again."

Mr Farrington still hopes his sister's remains will be found, so the family can put her to rest.

Tanya Farrington disappearance: appeal launched into missing north shore teenager

The family of a teenager who disappeared from her north shore home are vowing not to give up their four-decade search for answers. Tanya Farrington was 14 when she vanished from Nicholson Pde in Crows Nest in March 1979.

David Barwell

June 11, 2020 - 11:56AM

North Shore Times

The family of a teenager who disappeared from her north shore home are vowing not to give up their four-decade search for answers as a new appeal is launched into the cold case.

Tanya Farrington was 14 years old when she vanished from the family home on Nicholson Pde in Crows Nest on March 22, 1979.

Despite numerous police investigations, public appeals and a probe by the NSW Coroner, the case remains unsolved and an enduring mystery in Sydney’s history.

Tanya, who attended Cremorne Girls High School, was reported missing on March 23, 1979 when her mother woke to find her bed hadn’t been slept in and the back door ajar.

Police believe she may have hitchhiked from the home to Manly to visit friends or attend a disco but was never seen again.

Her brother, Anthony Farrington, said the disappearance of his only sibling “destroyed the family” and 41 years on continues to haunt her loved ones.

“I was 18 at the time – I’m 60 now – and I still break down twice a year and bawl by eyes out. It never goes away,” he said.

“For years my Dad was walking the streets of Manly, showing strangers photos of her, asking if people had seen her – he did that for years. Mum was never the same.

“I was her big brother, we grew up together, we played together. The memories never go away.”

The family’s extensive search for answers has included multiple appeals for information on TV programs including The Mike Walsh Show and Stateline.

In the early 2000s, police launched a new investigation into the case – led by detective Naomi Martin – but the probe was hampered by the disappearance of the initial 1970s case files.

“(The detective) spoke to friends, took DNA, followed up all the leads – she did her best,” Mr Farrington said.

“But all the original paperwork – the names, dates, times – were lost. She had to start from scratch.”

In 2010, the State Government offered a $100,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest or conviction. The same year, a Coronial inquest handed down an open finding.

Hugh Dillon, the deputy state coroner at the time, said it was believed Tanya Farrington was deceased but did not have evidence to back up the findings or determine a cause of death.

Mr Farrington, who now lives in Canberra with his three children, continues to hope for answers, but there was part of him that “didn’t want to know.”

His parents, Irene and Anthony, sadly died without closure into their daughter’s disappearance.

“You don’t give up but it’s been 40 years now. In one way I don’t really want to know what happened,” he said.

“On the north shore 20-odd girls disappeared around the same time. Your mind plays. To actually find out what happen might be even worse.

“She wouldn’t have just left, I know that. She wouldn’t have done that to her family.”

Tanya Farrington is among 49 people featured in a new campaign aimed at unearthing information into unsolved cases of Australia’s missing children.

Police said most are found safe and well, but “the fear and heartbreak is immense for those whose children do not return home”.

Mr Farrington urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.