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01 Lies in Lismore | The backpackers

Length
32 min
Published
8 September 2026
Language
English
Text from
the audio
Transcribed
28 September 2026
Read the full transcriptOpen on Apple Podcasts
Notes in English.

Summary

This first episode of Unravel's 'Lies in Lismore' series revisits the 2005 disappearance and death of German backpacker Simone Strobel in Lismore, northern New South Wales. It follows her boyfriend Tobias Suckfield's police interview, the town's reaction, the discovery of her body six days later, and the community's outpouring of support for the German travellers. The episode ends with the revelation that all three backpackers had been lying to police.

Key points

  • Simone Strobel, a 25-year-old German kindergarten teacher, disappeared from a Lismore caravan park on 11 February 2005.
  • Her boyfriend Tobias Suckfield told police she walked away from the campsite after an argument between him and his sister Katrin, wearing just a shirt, skirt and no shoes.
  • Simone's body was found six days later at an unused bocce club less than 100 metres from the campsite, naked and covered with palm fronds.
  • Local journalist Cath Adams covered the story for The Northern Star and recalls the town's fear and speculation, including talk of a serial killer.
  • Tobias publicly criticised police as 'kindergarten cops' over the delay in using a search dog, which became a headline.
  • Former mayor Jenny Dow helped organise a community fundraiser that paid for Tobias's flight home, with the remainder going to Simone's family.
  • The episode closes by revealing that all three travelling backpackers — Tobias, Katrin and Jens — had been lying to police.
  • Twenty-one years on, there is still no justice for Simone.

Questions it answers

00:00The police interview

What did Tobias Suckfield tell police about Simone's disappearance?

Tobias told Detective Sergeant Andrew Campbell that Simone walked away from their campsite after an argument between him and his sister, taking none of her possessions and wearing no shoes. He insisted he and Simone had a close, problem-free relationship and that he had no idea what happened to her.

  • Simone left wearing only a shirt, skirt and no shoes.
  • Tobias became defensive when the detective probed their relationship.
  • The interview concluded at 10.45pm, nearly 24 hours after Simone went missing.

05:00Why revisit this case?

Why is journalist Richard Baker returning to this story now?

The case always stuck with him because Simone set off with such hope but never made it home. In late 2024, a key figure who was there that night wanted journalists to take another look, and 21 years on there is still no justice for Simone.

  • A key figure asked for the case to be re-examined in late 2024.
  • The story involves lies, damage over decades, and extreme police measures.

07:00Who was Simone Strobel?

What kind of person was Simone and why was she in Australia?

Simone grew up on a pig farm in Bavaria, was a kindergarten teacher, and came to Australia for the biggest adventure of her life, travelling the east coast with her boyfriend Tobias and working along the way.

  • She was 25 and from a close family in Bavaria.
  • She and Tobias had been together six and a half years.
  • She arrived in Lismore on 11 February 2005.

08:06A missing backpacker in Lismore

How did Lismore learn that Simone was missing?

Local journalist Cath Adams got a call at The Northern Star on the Sunday afternoon, and she and a colleague went to the caravan park where they found Tobias and Katrin, who reacted with confusion — Katrin told them to 'fuck off'.

  • Lismore was an unusual stop for backpackers, near Nimbin and Byron Bay.
  • SES workers were already searching drains near the caravan park.
  • The next day's front page headline was 'Where's Simone?'

13:00Tobias's account of the night

What does Tobias say happened on Simone's last night?

The four Germans drank four middies each at the Golan Hotel, returned to the caravan park, and after an argument between Tobias and Katrin, Simone walked away. Katrin and Jens searched, Tobias checked the toilet block, and they eventually went to bed thinking she would return.

  • Simone was wearing a black sleeveless top and a black skirt with red flowers.
  • Tobias said it was 'very mysterious' that she hadn't contacted him.
  • He reported her missing the next morning at 7am.

19:36The body is found

How was Simone found and what did it reveal?

On the sixth day, police found Simone's body at an unused bocce club across the road from the caravan park, less than 100 metres from her tent, on the same day a police dog was brought in. She was naked and covered with palm fronds, and police were sure it was no accident.

  • The area had been searched several times but her body was hidden in a fenced-off area.
  • There was no obvious cause of death.
  • The discovery shook the town's sense of safety.

25:00The town rallies

How did the Lismore community respond after Simone's death?

The community left flowers and candles at the bocce club, and former mayor Jenny Dow helped organise a fundraiser that paid for Tobias's flight home, with the remainder going to Simone's family. Tobias also made headlines calling police 'kindergarten cops'.

  • A single mum donated her last $5 and kids gave pocket money.
  • Jenny Dow felt the town had a duty of care to Simone.
  • Jenny Dow passed away a month after her interview.

30:00The lies revealed

What twist ends the episode?

As investigations continued and details reached the media, it emerged that all three backpackers — Tobias, Katrin and Jens — had been lying to police, which is the subject of the next episode.

  • Community support for the backpackers began draining away.
  • The full story continues in the next episode.

Notes

The disappearance

  • In February 2005, German backpacker Simone Strobel, 25, vanished from the Lismore Tourist Caravan Park in northern New South Wales.
  • She was travelling with her boyfriend of six and a half years, Tobias Suckfield, his sister Katrin, and their friend Jens, in an old Toyota Hi-Ace van.
  • Tobias told police that after an argument between him and Katrin, Simone told them to stop, stood up and walked away barefoot, taking nothing with her.

Simone's background

  • She grew up on a pig farm in Bavaria, Germany, worked as a kindergarten teacher, and had never travelled this far from home before.
  • Her trip to Australia was described as her biggest adventure.

The town's reaction

  • Local journalist Cath Adams of The Northern Star recalls being incredulous that someone could go missing in the Lismore CBD.
  • When she and a colleague approached the backpackers at the caravan park, Katrin told them to 'fuck off' — an unusual reaction to people offering to publicise a missing friend.
  • Rumours swept the town, including speculation about a serial killer, given the unsolved murder of Lois Roberts from Nimbin.

The discovery

  • On the sixth day, police found Simone's body at an unused bocce club across the road from the caravan park, less than 100 metres from her tent.
  • She was naked and covered with palm fronds; police were sure it was no accident.

Aftermath

  • Tobias was prescribed Valium at hospital and criticised police as 'kindergarten cops' over the delayed use of a search dog.
  • Former mayor Jenny Dow helped organise a fundraiser that covered Tobias's airfare home, with the remainder going to Simone's family.
  • The episode ends with the revelation that all three backpackers had been lying to police.

Transcribed automatically from the audio. Summary and notes written by AI from the transcript, so check anything important against the recording.

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