Become a Member: Get Ad-Free Access to 3,000+ Reviews, Guides, & More

Crashed rider finds missing motorcyclist

A rider who slid off the road has coincidentally found the body of Sandgate rider Siemon Mulder who went missing while out for a ride last Monday (19 August 2019).

Siemon, 66, set out for a “joy ride” at 9am on Monday (19 August 2019) on his blue Triumph Sprint ST registration 769DW, heading to Esk. He was due back at noon but never returned.

His son, Paul, says it was a chance crash by a rider that led to the sad discovery this morning at 8.20 near a left-hand bend on the Maleny Stanley River Road at Booroobin.

Sad discovery

“Coincidentally a rider slid off the road at the exact same spot,” Paul says.

“Police told us he was picking his bike up when he noticed dad’s bike down a steep embankment.

“I don’t know who the rider is, but it was very lucky, otherwise we could have been looking for weeks and weeks.

“Volunteers actually walked along that area a few times already and we flew over it in a helicopter the other day.

“If you didn’t know where to look you wouldn’t have seen anything, even if you were right over the top.”

Siemon Mulder
Siemon Mulder

Thanks to volunteers

Paul says the whole family would like to extend their thanks to the South East Queensland motorcycle community for rallying to their aid in the search.

“Mum (Wendy) has been in tears of happiness for all the people who have come to our aid and helped with the search,” he says.

“A big thanks to everyone.”

He also thanked his brother’s UK employer who launched a Gofundme page to pay for the helicopter searches and all who donated money.

Colin Francis, whose daughter is scheduled to marry Siemon’s son, Luke, on August 31, says the discovery is “at least is some closure for the family, but it’s not the outcome we had hoped for”.

“We’ve been out on the Esk Rd today and there were hundreds of riders out,” he says.

“These people responded to our call and they have done a magnificent job.

“I even saw a few guys on scooters stopping and peering over the edges of the road.

“The motorcycle community camaraderie is real.”

fears thanks
Paul and Siemon

Paul says he would occasionally ride his Kawasaki Ninja 300 with his father.

“I used to live in Victoria and I once rode up from Victoria and he met me half way,” he said.

“He was an avid rider who loved freedom.

“He was a true gentleman, very kind and a gentle man who was willing to help anyone out.”

The sad incident is a timely lesson for all solo riders to tell others where they are going.

Always take your mobile phone, download locator apps or, if in remote areas with no mobile signal, pack an EPIRB, beacon or GPS tracker.

A report on the incident will be prepared for the coroner.

If you have information for police, contact Policelink on 131 444 or provide information using the online form 24 hours a day.

You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, by calling 1800 333 000 or at crimestoppersqld.com.au.

Quote this reference number: QP1901609506

  1. I am the rider that found this poor fella please feel free to pass on my details

    1. Hi, Are you OK mate , I am Interested as to how you also came off in the exact same corner/spot , What made you come off ?? Any problems with the road surface at all etc , I Hope you are doing OK mate ,,It is all very sad ,, My Best wishers to the Family and Friends and a big thank you to all the people/Riders that went looking for him,, I also am in my 60’s and go Riding alone on my large Road Bikes every weekend by myself ,I go in all directions but I think from now on I will leave a message on my wife’s phone as to what direction I am heading ,,,Regards to all ,,Phil

  2. Ah Christ. I saw the police there this morning on the way up, & the Trumpy (tho no bodywork left on the nose) on the return home from Maleny. I was going to post up the possibility but now my worst feeling has been confirmed.
    Condolences to his family & friends from both myself & my partner.
    At least perhaps, try find ‘some’ peace in the fact he was doing what he loved.
    Very sad to hear indeed.

  3. Mark, this is a very sad outcome, but at least the family will get closure.
    It is something I think about often when out riding solo; ‘what if I crash of the side of a hill, down that gully etc. ?’
    Mark, have you done much testing of tracking devices for this publication? I assume there are a few types out there & if you have not, could you maybe get a few together for comparison for us readers. Or if you know of a bike magazine that has done so could you please pass on the details.
    Cheers Rob G

  4. i Came off on the 1st left hand corner on the Maleny stanley river road after the turn off from the Peachester road in September 2016 and went into the drainage ditch i was doing the speed limit had the front slip on bitumen bleed that caused my off. broke both legs shattered my right heal bone and compressed 8 vertebrae was off work for 1 year and 2 weeks to recover .

    1. I see it’s a blind, sharp, decreasing radius corner coming after some gentle sweepers – nasty!

  5. Mal62
    The best GPS tracker out there, is probably the SPOT Tracker, with software updates available.
    My condolences to the family, a sad loss.

Comments are closed.