Marion Barter
Australian schoolteacher Marion Barter secretly changed her name before vanishing during an overseas trip. She legally became 'Florabella Natalia Marion Remakel' before disappearing.
- Status
- Unsolved
- Type
- Missing Person
- Date
- June 22, 1997
- Location
- Southport, Australia
- Age
- 51
- Gender
- Female
- Decade
- 1990s
- OpenUnsolved
- Partly resolved
- Charges or trial
- Closed
No one has been charged and the case remains open.
Case background and investigation
In June 1997, fifty-one-year-old Marion Barter, a respected schoolteacher from the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, departed for an overseas trip to England and Europe. Before leaving, she had secretly changed her legal name to 'Florabella Natalia Marion Remakel' and sold her belongings, including her house.
Marion sent a few postcards and made brief phone calls to her daughter Sally in the initial weeks of her trip, but communication ceased in August 1997. Her bank account was accessed in Luxembourg, and there were indications someone may have been controlling her finances.
When her daughter could not reach her, she reported Marion missing. The investigation revealed the puzzling name change and asset liquidation, suggesting Marion may have been under the influence of another person. A mysterious man was identified as having been in Marion's company before her departure.
The case was examined in the ABC podcast 'The Lady Vanishes' in 2019, which uncovered new leads including connections to other missing women who had similarly changed their names and liquidated their assets. A coronial inquest opened in June 2021 and on February 29, 2024 the New South Wales coroner found that Marion is deceased, having died sometime after October 15, 1997, but could not determine the cause, place or manner of her death.
Timeline
-
June 22, 1997Marion Barter departs Australia for overseas travel.
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August 1, 1997Last known communication from Marion to her daughter.
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January 7, 2019'The Lady Vanishes' podcast launches, uncovering new leads.
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June 21, 2021Coronial inquest opens into Marion's disappearance.
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February 29, 2024Coroner finds Marion Barter is deceased; cause, place and manner of death undetermined.
Sources
References used for this entry. ColdCaseIndex is an index of public information. To report an error, email info@coldcaseindex.com.
Have information about this case?
Cold cases are solved when someone comes forward. Even a detail that seems minor can matter. Contact law enforcement through one of these channels:
- Crime Stoppers Australia: report online or on 1800 333 000
- The police force or sheriff's office responsible for Southport
Tips can usually be given anonymously. ColdCaseIndex does not collect tips. To report an error on this page, email info@coldcaseindex.com.
Entry last updated September 29, 2026.
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