Jessica Zrinski disappearance: NSW Police search Jenolan State Forest for missing woman

NSW homicide detectives have launched a three-day search for missing Sydney woman Jessica Zrinski in the Jenolan State Forest after the 30-year-old was driven in a blue station wagon towards the Blue Mountains.

Investigators with assistance from the dog squad and the rescue and bomb disposal unit are searching an area of bushland about 13km from the Jenolan Caves, about 160km southwest of Sydney, for the missing 30-year-old described her family as a wandering spirit.

Ms Zrinski disappeared more than a year ago after attending a venue on Mimosa Road at Greenfield Park at about 10pm on Monday November 28, 2022, before getting into a blue Holden Commodore station wagon driven by an apparent stranger.

A NSW Police spokesperson said the vehicle is believed to have travelled west along the M4 motorway and Great Western Highway towards the Blue Mountains.

“As part of ongoing investigations, strike force investigators have commenced a land search in the Jenolan State Forest — about 13km north of Jenolan Caves — from today (Friday, April 26),” said a spokesperson.

“The search is expected to continue for three days until Sunday (April 28), with assistance from the dog squad, rescue & bomb disposal unit, and other volunteers.”

It is understood the search, the latest of several, was not triggered by anything specific and the owner of the blue station wagon is not assisting police. NSW Police have conducted similar searches for Ms Zrinski in the Hampton State Forest in May 2023.

Ms Zrinksi’s mum Michelle Barton has said she would never stop looking for her daughter.

“Living life without my baby girl Jess has been the most difficult pain I’ve ever had to endure,” she said.

“I’ve loved her for her whole life and I’ll miss her for the rest of mine.”

“All I can hope is there is someone out there who can help us find Jess so we — her family and friends — can lay her to rest and say our goodbyes.”

NSW Police in in November last year offered a $500,000 reward for information that helps find Ms Zrinski and released CCTV footage of the missing woman in the blue Commodore station wagon at a petrol station in Horsley Park.

At the time, Ms Zrinski’s father Dark Zrinski last year said his daughter’s disappearance was heartbreaking for the family.

“Jessica was so full of life and it was such a joy to see her smile always,” he said.

“It’s the waiting and not knowing what happened to my beautiful daughter Jessica.”

Her uncle Vlado described her as a wandering spirit and said his family just wanted her body found so she could be laid to rest.

“[Jessica’s disappearance] is an empty chair in a room,” he said.

“A hole in the heart. She was a bit of a wanderer, but she was still part of her family, an important part.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact CrimeStoppers.