Ballarat community rallies to family of missing mother as search enters second week

An investigation into the disappearance of Samantha Murphy has entered its second week as police appeal for more footage of the remote region.

A candle lit for missing person Samantha Murphy is seen inside of the Buninyong Anglican Church in Buninyong near Ballarat. Buninyong Anglican Church is offering assistance for local community members amidst the search for missing 51-year-old Ballarat mother Samantha Murphy. Source: AAP / James Ross

Key Points

• Missing persons detectives have renewed calls for public assistance
• The 51-year-old mother of three left home on 4 February to go jogging and has not been seen since
• Police said they remain in regular contact with the Murphy family about the investigation

Dozens of volunteers are continuing to search for Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy despite police suspending their foot search.

The 51-year-old mother of three left home on 4 February to go jogging and has not been seen since.

Police have turned to CCTV footage to try and piece together Murphy's final documented movements, saying a full-scale search will only resume if fresh information emerges.

Detectives investigating her disappearance are asking people with 4 February dashcam or CCTV footage of the Ballarat East, Buninyong and Mount Helen areas to come forward, even if their footage does not show Murphy.

Police on Saturday said there were no sinister factors about the woman's disappearance but there were significant concerns for her wellbeing.

'Such a difficult time'

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in Ballarat on Sunday, passed on his thoughts to Murphy's family and friends.

"It is, has been, I'm sure just such a difficult time," he told reporters.

"I thank all those people who are involved in the search and hope that it has a good outcome."

Minister Catherine King, the member for Ballarat, said Murphy's disappearance has been a really distressing week for the family and thanked search crews for their efforts.

"The terrain they've been working through is really difficult. It's beautiful bushland, we all love it, but we know how difficult it is," King told reporters.

"And just for a community like Ballarat, big hearts, very, very big hearts, and we just hope very much that there's a positive outcome for Samantha Murphy and her family."

Murphy was last seen leaving her Eureka St home at Ballarat East at about 7am on Sunday. Source: AAP / James Ross

Ballarat Mayor Des Hudson said the community response to Murphy's disappearance had been "extraordinary".

"There is certainly great empathy for Samantha's family," Hudson told Sky News on Sunday.

"I could not be prouder of our community."

He said the community had come together to support and generously offered food to Murphy's family over the past eight days of the search.

Official searches on hold

Official searches of areas such as parts of the Canadian State Forest have been paused until there is new information.

The tiny town of Buninyong, about 11km south of Ballarat, has been combed by SES volunteers.

Samantha Murphy has been described as a physically and mentally strong woman. Source: AAP

Police said they remain in regular contact with the Murphy family about the investigation.

Murphy regularly jogged about 14 to 15km through nearby remote areas.

She left her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat East at 7am the day she disappeared.

CCTV footage from the family home shows her about to depart.

Police have been working with telecommunications staff to try to identify her route, given she carried a smart watch and phone.

Murphy has been described as physically and mentally strong.

She and her husband Michael run a car repair business called Inland Motor Body Works at Delacombe, a few suburbs from their home.

Anyone with information about Murphy's disappearance is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.