What happened to Peter Falconio? The outback murder mystery that continues to haunt Australia 25 years on
Twenty-five years after the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio in the Australian outback, the case remains a haunting mystery. Former police officers and locals continue to reflect on the impact of the 2001 incident.
Why it matters
The case is a landmark event in Australian criminal history that significantly influenced public perception of safety in remote areas.
Link copied Share Share article British couple Joanne Lees and Peter Falconio were ambushed by a gunman near Barrow Creek while on a road trip around Australia in 2001. ( Reuters ) They were a couple in their 20s embarking on a trip that is a rite of passage for so many young Brits.
But a chance encounter with a stranger in the outback changed both their lives forever.
Twenty-five years on, the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio and the abduction and escape of his girlfriend Joanne Lees in remote Central Australia remains one of the nation's most infamous cases.
Erica Gibson's boots crunch in the red dirt as she walks towards the Barrow Creek Hotel.
She has returned to mark an anniversary, to pay tribute and remember a case that has never really left her.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in