Luke Gourlay was captured on CCTV footage leaving the Landsborough
Hotel QLD. Luke was last seen walking along Steve Irwin Way at
Landsborough around 4pm on December 26, 2023.
Police and family continue to hold concerns for Luke’s welfare, as
his disappearance is out of character.
He is described as fair skinned, approximately 180cm tall with a
slim build, brown hair and blue eyes.
As pictured, he was last seen wearing a green T-shirt, grey shorts,
orange shoes and a blue hat.
Anyone with information which may assist in locating the whereabouts
of Luke GOURLAY is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Missing man, Burnside (Sunshine Coast)
Police are seeking public assistance to locate a
29-year-old man missing from Burnside near Nambour on the
Sunshine Coast since December 23.
Luke Gourlay, pictured, was last seen at a Perwillowen Road
property at approximately 9am, and has not been seen or heard
from since.
Police and family have serious concerns for Luke’s welfare as
his disappearance is out of character, and he has a medical
condition.
Luke is described as Caucasian in appearance, approximately
180cm tall with a slim build, brown hair and beard, and blue
eyes.
Police believe Luke was travelling in a white van, with
Queensland registration 929CS3, prior to his disappearance.
The van was located abandoned along Cribb Street in Landsborough
on December 31.
Anyone who has seen Luke, or the van he was driving, is urged to
immediately contact police.
Update 1: Missing man, Burnside (Sunshine Coast)
Police have released new images as they continue
attempts to locate 29-year-old Luke Gourlay, missing from
Burnside near Nambour since December 23.
New information indicates Luke was seen walking along Steve
Irwin Way at Landsborough around 4pm on December 26, 2023.
Officers have release CCTV stills that may prompt the public to
recognise Luke.
Police and family continue to hold concerns for Luke’s welfare,
as his disappearance is out of character.
He is described as fair skinned, approximately 180cm tall with a
slim build, brown hair and blue eyes.
As pictured, he was last seen wearing a green T-shirt, grey
shorts, orange shoes and a blue hat.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police.
Investigations are continuing.
Burnside’s Luke Gourlay missing, mum begs for help
A Sunshine Coast mum has described living stuck between hope and
grief as the police search for her missing son concludes with no
further clues of his whereabouts.
Letea Cavander
The Courier Mail
Burnside man Luke Gourlay went missing on Boxing Day last year after
visiting the Landsborough pub.
His mum Suzanne Searle said he left the pub about 3.30pm and most
likely walked along Cribb St toward Maleny St before crossing the
train lines, onto Caloundra St and then the Steve Irwin Way.
She said three passers-by made triple-0 calls about Mr Gourlay once
he was on the Steve Irwin Way.
Ms Searle said he was walking without his shoes or hat on at that
stage and the final emergency call placed her son near the entrance
to the Big Kart Track between 4pm and 4.30pm.
The mum-of-five said the past couple of months were “surreal” as she
found herself stuck between hope and grief, with no way of moving
through either emotion, and with no idea of the whereabouts of her
son.
“I can’t comprehend how someone can disappear into thin air,” Ms
Searle said.
Mr Gourlay’s family has put up countless missing person posters in
Landsborough in efforts to jog the memories of those who passed
through the town on Boxing Day.
Ms Searle said her son had left the keys in the ignition of his work
van and the window down before he entered the pub, with the reasons
for his visit to the venue unknown.
Police have mounted a massive search effort but were hampered by the
wet weather and also the lag in time it took for Mr Gourlay to be
reported missing.
“We’re always fighting the clock on this one,” Detective Senior
Constable Chris Lawson said.
The police officer said the SES, mounted police, officers on
motorcycles and military resources had joined the search effort for
Mr Gourlay and his missing belongings.
Police had searched Steve Irwin Way, along Mooloolah Connection Rd
and near Palmview.
“Over the past two weeks we’ve completed the searches of the last
remaining known locations of the man,” Det Snr Const. Lawson said.
“We failed to locate any evidence to provide any more leads.”
Ms Searle said as each day passed with no new information, she was
losing hope.
“When the search was going on I was still hopeful we’d still find a
trace of him but now that’s been called off,” she said.
She said marking her son’s 30th birthday on February 3 was “pretty
rough” but she needed to stay strong for her four daughters.
“I’m constantly looking out the window waiting for a police car to
pull up to tell me bad news,” Ms Searle said.
“If I see a white car my heart drops and then I realise that’s it’s
just a white car going down the street.”
The mum, a disability support carer, pleaded with anyone who was in
the Landsborough area on the day with any information to come
forward.
She begged motorists to check dashcam footage or if anyone had
picked him up to contact Policelink.
“The not knowing is the worst, you know, if something bad has
happened I just want to know,” Ms Searle said.