In the early 1990s, a stretch of forest south of Sydney became the centre of one of Australia’s most disturbing murder investigations.
Belanglo State Forest had long been a quiet expanse of bushland along the highways used by backpackers travelling between Sydney and Melbourne. But when police began uncovering human remains hidden beneath the trees, a terrifying pattern emerged.
Young travellers from across the world had disappeared along the same roads. Many had been hitchhiking. Many had last been seen accepting rides from strangers.
And somewhere along those highways, a killer had been waiting.
In this two-part episode of What They Hide: Hidden Crimes in Plain Sight, we take a deep investigative look at the crimes of Ivan Milat, the man who would become known as Australia’s “Backpacker Murderer.”
This series explores:
More than three decades later, the Belanglo murders remain one of the most infamous serial killer cases in Australian history — a chilling reminder of how easily violence can remain hidden along the most ordinary roads.
Research for this episode drew from court records, investigative journalism, and historical reporting including:
Music by: MUBERT
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