MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH: Coen man charged with alleged murder in relation to baffling disappearance of Allison Bernard

In a major development a man has been charged with alleged murder in relation to the troubled long-term disappearance of a 23-year-old Kowanyama woman who vanished in 2013.

A short time ago detectives charged a 62-year-old Coen man with one count of murder relating to the direct disappearance of Allison Bernard.

Police confirmed he will appear in Cairns Magistrates Court today.

The disappearance of Ms Bernard had baffled local investigators for 11 years.

The last confirmed sighting of Ms Bernard was at River Quarry on Sunday, February 10, around 11pm in 2013.

Upon her disappearance a large scale search of the area which included police on foot, quad bikes and vehicles along with helicopters, SES, Defence Force personnel and the police dive squad failed to locate any trace of the missing woman.

In 2021 new drone and camera technology which was unavailable in 2013 was utilised for a systematic search of the area along with officers on horseback and in others in four wheel drives.

This targeted search operation, along with further searches in the Coen area in late 2022, unfortunately did not advance investigations.

Last February on the 10^th anniversary of her disappearance detectives made a renewed public appeal for any information that would assist in locating Ms Bernard.

“Allison would now be 33, she could have lived a full life and had a family – but instead her loved ones are left wondering,” Acting Superintendent Kevin Goan said at the time.

“We will not give up. Allison’s disappearance has had a devastating impact on this community and together we won’t stop until we find answers.

“That’s why we are in Coen today, with a dedicated group of volunteers, door knocking the community in the hopes anyone with information, no matter how small, may prove to be the key to locating Allison.”