WA prospector death and missing wife. The Raymond & Jennie Kehlet mystery.

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Agree Pete, if it raises awareness among not just prospectors, but anyone heading into the never-never, it will not have been in vain.

Is a great thread by Jamie even though most likely a sad outcome.....thanks for helping to raise awareness Jamie!

The lighter side of bush survival with Russell, no disrespect meant!

[video=480,360]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClM-_ysuQHk[/video]
 
Hi guys I am from Wa and am truly freaked out by this story.over Easter we,like the missing couple were out detecting for the first time. Just like them we parked our bike not far from camp with our gps and water. We mucked around old mine shafts, found my very first 2 tiny nuggets and loved every minute. However since this story broke I just do not even want to go out there again until we know what happened. What I have read about old mine shafts since has scared the hell out of me, but not as much as the thought of someone crazy putting a gun to my head. I am now so scared it is making me sad.I read on another forum today that some people have been hassled by crazies in that area over the past few years, so maybe we need to have a sight where people can report these incidents with descriptions, number plates etc so we can collaborate together and try to get some sort of picture as to who these people are. Our police here are just useless when it comes to the bush. I have spoken to older people who mine solely for a living in kalgoorlie and who were involved in the search for the man who went missing in 2013 in Menzies. The police turned up without even a gps. Apparently the search was a mess and with this search there a couple of station owners living 6kms from the missing couple who hadn't even been spoken to days after the couple went missing. We are hearing next to nothing here, no one is even talking about it as much as you guys, all we get are basic updates, no details. I have searched local townsite FB pages, googled heaps, unbelievable. There are so many forums with similar stories and I can't help thinking we need to bring them together and maybe just maybe if there is a crazy out there we might just work out who because the cops sure a hell won't. Just a desperate thought.
 
Shaz said:
Hi guys I am from Wa and am truly freaked out by this story.over Easter we,like the missing couple were out detecting for the first time. Just like them we parked our bike not far from camp with our gps and water. We mucked around old mine shafts, found my very first 2 tiny nuggets and loved every minute. However since this story broke I just do not even want to go out there again until we know what happened. What I have read about old mine shafts since has scared the hell out of me, but not as much as the thought of someone crazy putting a gun to my head. I am now so scared it is making me sad.I read on another forum today that some people have been hassled by crazies in that area over the past few years, so maybe we need to have a sight where people can report these incidents with descriptions, number plates etc so we can collaborate together and try to get some sort of picture as to who these people are. Our police here are just useless when it comes to the bush. I have spoken to older people who mine solely for a living in kalgoorlie and who were involved in the search for the man who went missing in 2013 in Menzies. The police turned up without even a gps. Apparently the search was a mess and with this search there a couple of station owners living 6kms from the missing couple who hadn't even been spoken to days after the couple went missing. We are hearing next to nothing here, no one is even talking about it as much as you guys, all we get are basic updates, no details. I have searched local townsite FB pages, googled heaps, unbelievable. There are so many forums with similar stories and I can't help thinking we need to bring them together and maybe just maybe if there is a crazy out there we might just work out who because the cops sure a hell won't. Just a desperate thought.
Click to expand...

Well Maybe everyone needs to make a Plan and every one stick to it, It would be good if hundreds of people went there and all walked in a straight Line from where the police left off,

I don't think we have heard the last of this that's for sure,,

John
 
Maybe we could start a dedicated section to bushcraft and handy survival tips, i know nothing is better than experience, hands on training or even a proper course and i dare say alot on here like myself have a lot of experience in the bush and remote locations already but if anything has come from this topic and i did mention similar before, it is that things can and will go wrong and that being prepared is a priority and knowing what to do can make a huge difference, that's hoping foul play can be ruled out in this of course. i guess we couldnt cover it all properly but maybe the basics that are often over looked by the new comers or just the unaware could help people in the future, just a suggestion tho
 
It's still a rare occurance Shaz. I can understand your concern but remember there are thousands of people prospecting in this region each year and better than 99% make it home safe at the end of their trip. It's still far more dangerous to live in the city than camp out bush. To have a few psycho's running around out there is inevitable as the outback is a perfect grooming station for turning social outcasts in to full blown sociopaths. The stats don't make it okay to turn a blind eye to isolated incidents. I agree it's important to keep the pressure on by thoroughly investigating the cause of all disappearances. Hopefully there is more going on in this investigation than is breaking the surface.
 
We haven't heard anything here about them having absailing gear, I'm not sure that is true. I hope your right John, we need to know.
 
Thanks for the reassurance guys, we went to an open day here in Perth and learnt a lot before we went and are formally country people so we were full of safety gear, never let the quads out of our sight etc, but now realise that a plan with the folk at home is what is needed, like you say make a plan and stick to it is the only way. Just praying it's not foul play.
 
Shafts are dangerous and I am no shafts guru nor have I been to this region and seen first
hand how deep or wide these shafts are.

Read about the stories in which I have replied to on here where locals state shafts get covered
by dirt over a long period of time. Others tend to disagree with this but as I have stated I am no
shaft guru or scientist because these shafts are around 100 years old and things can happen over
100 years.

Take into consideration the rain, the wind, dead shrub branches, dust and so on that can land on or
near these shafts and anything is possible with time. Some may of been already partially covered
by timber - who knows.

The weird part about this dissapearance is that it invloves 2 people not 1.

I have came across some deep shafts in Maryborough in Vic that have been fenced off.

I have shared Paul's video below which explains some hidden dangers by approaching Mullock
Heaps from one direction only. The same method can be used for shafts as well.

[video=480,360]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMXGjRfCDHE[/video]

Hope this helps..
 
Shaz said:
Thanks for the reassurance guys, we went to an open day here in Perth and learnt a lot before we went and are formally country people so we were full of safety gear, never let the quads out of our sight etc, but now realise that a plan with the folk at home is what is needed, like you say make a plan and stick to it is the only way. Just praying it's not foul play.
Click to expand...

Shaz another option for safety is my reply on this thread which is #123.

Stay safe and good luck with it.
 
Shaz, when i go on my trips i leave a 'list' on the bench at home with a map aswel, i state where i will be (and mark the area on map), how long i will be, what i am doing, who i am with if any, details of car, emergency contacts etc. I know it seems over the top but i was made by my mother as a kid going off into the bush usually alone to do that and have kept that habit, i also inform a friend/neighbor or workmate/boss of the trip too in case i don't turn up when i am meant to, it is a bit of reassurance that it will start a search in the right area asap if something has gone wrong, if going for a extended period i have a contact schedule with someone
Also if i change my plan while gone, inform someone of this that knows you, friend,family etc dont leave it to chance

Edit.. to add info
 
Wow you guys are amazing, thank you so much for all the great information, I went to bed last night thinking of your idea Wolfau. Thanks for the video and Jamie I will definitely doing those things, nothing is over the top in my book. Eww I feel like a doomsday prepper he he. It's nice to have like minded people to talk to so thank you all.
 
I can recommend a GPS tracker such as the SPOT, if you're happy to cop the ongoing fees.
I have seen comments recommending against them, but they have a thing going for them that a PLB (such as an EPIRB) does not: If you wander down a mine and pass out from bad air, or fall down a shaft, or get stuck underground, or generally get knocked out, you'll be unable to press the emergency button on the PLB. It's not that hard to think up situations where you might not be able to call for help or press a button.
However, if you're carrying a tracker, your last known position can always be found (i.e. before wandering into a mine or falling down a shaft and losing sight of the satellites). I also have a call-in schedule. I call in using the SPOT to let my partner know I'm ok at 3:00 pm and when safely back at camp every day I'm out.
 
jamie said:
Shaz, when i go on my trips i leave a 'list' on the bench at home with a map aswel, i state where i will be (and mark the area on map), how long i will be, what i am doing, who i am with if any, details of car, emergency contacts etc. I know it seems over the top but i was made by my mother as a kid going off into the bush usually alone to do that and have kept that habit, i also inform a friend/neighbor or workmate/boss of the trip too in case i don't turn up when i am meant to, it is a bit of reassurance that it will start a search in the right area asap if something has gone wrong, if going for a extended period i have a contact schedule with someone
Also if i change my plan while gone, inform someone of this that knows you, friend,family etc dont leave it to chance

Edit.. to add info
Click to expand...

It's not over the top at all Jamie, I always do the same, tell my friends exactly where I'm going to be and write it down, I also write it down for my parents too as I keep my 4x4 at their place and usually depart on my trips from there. Will be buying a GPS very soon too.
 
We can all speculate on what has happened and a healthy debate bringing out the dangers involved here would myself personally will raise the associated dangers around old diggings.
I recently took a bloke out around some old mines to show him what they are like, Where to find the tailings pile, dangers and so on.
There were 2 puddles of water that were quite dirty in appearance with one showing some collapse. I tossed a fist sized rock into both of them and said, They are bloody deep. Stay away from the edge's.
He laughed at me. I got the *****'s and left.
Later on I found out that it was The Yambulla mine with 2 shaft's. One at 370 Feet, The other at 270 feet.
.
He is not laughing now.
.
My theories on this is both these people have either fallen down a stope that was concealed or one has walked over a capped shaft dragging the other with them.
Foul play, Well that is a consideration and there are things out there that begger the mind.
.
All that matters to me is two harmless lives are missing and I hope they found peace and we all respect that lessons will be learn't, or taught.
 
I agree that if it was misadventure, it is most certainly of the underground nature Doug.....or they would have been found by now as it is very rare for anyone to wonder more than 20k from camp whilst prospecting on foot.

If it was foul play, the third party would have done the dog in as well i reckon.

As Wal said, the multitudes of caves in the area could see them lying perished in one of those after dehydration took its final bite whilst attempting cover.

I dont wish to sound disrespectful to our prospecting brothers and sisters but they could be lying on a beach in Darwin plotting their next move to avoid a drug debt also.

One can only speculate....lets just hope they are still alive wherever that may be!

And yes mate, we can all take something learned out of this tragic scenerio.
 

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