A Year Later, the Mystery Skull Found by the Murray River May Never Be Solved

More than a year ago, a man was walking along the Murray River near Mildura, in Victoria's north-west, when he spotted something unusual on the riverbank. It turned out to be a partial human skull, partly buried in the ground near the entrance to a holiday park. Now, police are sending the skull to a university for special carbon dating tests, hoping to finally get some answers.

The skull was first found in July 2025 near the Apex Riverbeach Holiday Park. NSW Police said early signs suggested the remains were not very old, meaning they were unlikely to be from hundreds of years ago. An anthropologist — a scientist who studies human bones — later confirmed that the skull was not from ancient or historic times.

After the discovery, the skull was sent to Newcastle for forensic testing. Forensic scientists use special tools and methods to study evidence from crimes or mysteries. However, because only a part of the skull was found, the tests came back inconclusive, which means they did not give a clear answer.

NSW Police Detective Inspector Matt Sippel explained what happens next. The skull will be sent to the Australian National University for radiocarbon dating testing. Radiocarbon dating is a scientific method that measures tiny amounts of a natural element in bone to estimate how old it is.

Police have already searched through missing persons databases, which are lists of people who have been reported missing. Detective Inspector Sippel said there is still a lack of evidence about how the skull got there. 'We don't know how long this skull had been there and how it got to that location,' he said.

Investigators are hoping the new testing will open up more clues. If they can figure out roughly when the person lived, they can narrow down their search in the missing persons records. In the end, all findings will be handed to the Coroner, who is an official in charge of investigating unexplained deaths.

Former Victoria Police homicide detective Charlie Bezzina explained how these kinds of investigations usually work. He said the first step is always checking missing persons records, but the length of the Murray River makes that very difficult. Scientists may also look at the skull's teeth, since dentists keep records that might help identify a person.

DNA is another tool detectives can use, but it is not always possible. DNA is a tiny code inside our cells that is unique to each person, like a biological fingerprint. However, the older a bone is, or the longer it has been in water or soil, the harder it becomes to extract useful DNA from it.

Mr Bezzina said that because only part of the skull was found, investigators have very little to work with. 'You're dealing with scientific stuff, you're not dealing with door knocks or interviewing witnesses,' he said. This means the investigation depends heavily on science rather than the kinds of clues detectives usually look for.

Despite all the effort, Mr Bezzina warned that the skull might never be identified. Finding an answer would bring great comfort to any family who may be wondering what happened to a loved one. 'It may remain a mystery forever and a day but they might be lucky enough to identify the skull and hopefully have some respite for the family,' he said.