Police scour mine shafts, drain dam in search for missing outback woman

Trisha Graf was last seen in the early hours of December 12, 2025. (Supplied: SA Police)

Police have returned to Andamooka and will scour about 1,000 mine shafts and drain a dam in the search for missing woman Trisha Graf.

Ms Graf vanished in December 2025 and her disappearance was declared a major crime in January.

Police will provide an update on the searches as they progress.

Police will scour about 1,000 mine shafts and will drain a dam in a renewed search for missing Andamooka woman Trisha Graf.

The 41-year-old mother was last seen driving in the town, about 600 kilometres north of Adelaide, in the early hours of December 12 last year.

Her car was found abandoned the next day near Blue Dam, about 4km east of Andamooka.

SA Police declared her disappearance a major crime in January and have returned to the remote area several times over the past six months.

In a statement released today, police said the latest effort to find Ms Graf would involve draining Blue Dam and searching an area to its east, toward Lake Torrens.

Police previously used a specialised camera to search mine shafts near Andamooka. (ABC News: Isabella Kelly)

The search will involve officers from SA Police's major crime, STAR Group and mounted operations teams along with SES members.

"An update on the searches will be provided as they progress," police said.

Last month, police used an inspection camera to view inside mine shafts and disused opal diggings, and searched a residence.

In March, they seized a vehicle for forensic examination, while a search in February involved searching a septic tank, but that search was subsequently forced to conclude early due to heavy rains.

Police said Ms Graf was at the Roxby Downs hotel at 12:19am on Friday, December 12, 2025, but left with a friend soon after.

Trisha Graf's car was found abandoned on a mound near Blue Dam. (ABC News: Carl Saville)

She drove a white 2012 Ford Territory, SA registration S254BCX, towards Andamooka before colliding with a kangaroo not far from Andamooka.

"After striking the kangaroo, Trisha and her friend continued onto Andamooka, where they visited a home in the north-western area of the town," police said.

Police said Ms Graf left just before 2am to drive home, and was last seen driving along Dunstan Drive, Andamooka.

Shortly after midday the same day, police said Ms Graf's partner and a friend found her car while searching for her.

It could not be driven because it had been "perched on a dirt mound", police said.

At the time, police and SES conducted an initial ground and aerial search of the ar