The woman was Kym Mackinnon, 51, the sister of Australian actress Simmone Jade Mackinnon, best known for playing Stevie Hall in McLeod’s Daughters. Queensland Police confirmed on Tuesday that a woman had been found dead at Tamborine Mountain.
Simmone, 53, had turned to Instagram the previous day, sharing a photograph of her sister and asking followers: “Have you seen my sister?” She urged people in Queensland to share the appeal and contact Policelink with information.
Kym had last been seen on Guanaba Road near Tamborine Mountain in Queensland’s Gold Coast hinterland. She was described as 165cm tall, very slim, with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. It was not initially clear how long she had been missing.
Followers asked for more details, but Simmone said she did not want to release information before police had checked it. Her former McLeod’s Daughters co-star Rodger Corser was among those who publicly offered support.
The following day came the news the family had feared. Police said a report would be prepared for the Coroner following the death of a woman at Tamborine Mountain. Authorities said the death was being treated as non-suspicious and released no further details.
Simmone Jade Mackinnon became a familiar face to television audiences through McLeod’s Daughters, appearing as Stevie Hall from 2003 to 2009. She also played Allie Reese in Baywatch Hawaii and received several Logie Award nominations.
The discovery brought a devastating end to a search that had quickly drawn attention online. What began as a sister’s urgent request for help became, within a day, a deeply painful family tragedy.