Second coronial inquest into 1972 disappearance of Marilyn Joy Wallman set for October

A bicycle on the side of a road. A dropped school bag half open. A hat in a cane field, then years later, a partial human skull.

These are the only traces of Marilyn Joy Wallman, who disappeared on the way to catch a bus to school in Mackay 54 years ago.

At a pre-inquest hearing on Monday in the North Queensland city, the court heard a second coronial inquiry would set out to establish the truth about her disappearance.

The second inquest, to be held on October 7 in Mackay, comes decades after the first coronial investigation failed to determine the circumstances of her death.

Marilyn disappears

It was a Tuesday on March 21, 1972, when 14-year-old Marilyn said goodbye to her mother at 7:42am and cycled down a dirt road through the family cane farm.

Assisting counsel John Aberdeen told the court on Monday her brothers David, 11, and Rex, 8, had left only 10 minutes later.

Mr Aberdeen said the boys had come across their big sister Marilyn's bicycle between a road and cane field, and her school port and books scattered on the road.

The court was told David rode back to get their mother while Rex stayed with his sister's bike, when he "heard someone speaking" from the other side of a nearby cane paddock.

Mr Aberdeen said her hat was found in the cane during a search later that day, but despite the widest police search in the region at the time, Marilyn was never found.

The court heard that in 1974, a partial human skull was found in the south of Mackay, and in 2006, updated DNA testing methods confirmed it was the 14-year-old's remains.

"I would urge anyone who thinks they may have relevant information, to contact the coroners court registry," Mr Aberdeen said.

"Part of the inquest's roles that are appropriate is to attempt to dispel rumours and suspicion, and they are done by establishment of the truth."

Court documents provided to the ABC said the inquest would investigate whether Marilyn Wallman was deceased, the circumstances of her suspected death, and whether any other persons were involved in her death.

A witness list of 14 people has been set for up to 12 days of hearings in October.

Family relief

Outside the courthouse after the proceedings, siblings Rex, David and Lenore Wallman said they felt anxious but happy that a date had been set for a new inquest.

Rex said the last 50 years had been "extremely difficult" for the family.

"It's something that never goes away; you think about it all the time," he said.

"We want to know what happened. We want to know where she is."

David said it had been "tough" to sit through another recount of Marilyn's disappearance.

"We've got to keep doing this for our mum and dad," he said.

"[They're] 90 now, and we've always said to them that we hope to have some sort of news for them before they go."

Community impact

The North Queensland city of Mackay was a different place in 1972, when its northern beaches were home to cane farms and holiday huts at the beach.

Australia was yet to fully switch to metric, with currency in cents and dollars, but weight still in pounds and ounces.

Half a pound of Bushells tea was 32 cents, a tin of dog food was 17 cents and hairspray sold for 89 cents a can at Coles New World.

Today, more than 22,000 people live in the area, and part of the original Wallman cane farm has been subdivided for housing.

Mackay historian Doug Petersen, 80, welcomed the announcement of the second coronial inquiry.

He remembers the city changed the day Marilyn went missing.

"It was out of the blue. People became more cautious. Parents immediately had concerns for their children. It was such a close-knit community," he said.

He was working managing a food distribution business and was among those who rallied to support the search parties.

"It's been a long time now and people like us still remember us clearly and still feel for the family," he said.

"This isn't history; it's part of the life I have lived.

"John and Daphne Wallman [Marilyn's parents] aren't young anymore … I think they'd like some answers in their lifetime."