Inquest into the Death of David Greenwood

42y · Male·Unascertained; most likely exposure after wandering in bushland

David Greenwood, a 42-year-old Aboriginal man with chronic alcohol dependence and a chronic chest infection, disappeared from Gindalbie Station near Kalgoorlie on 14 October 1984. He was experiencing delirium tremens (alcohol withdrawal) with paranoid delusions when he walked into bushland. Despite extensive aerial and land searches and a comprehensive police investigation over decades, he was never located alive. Human remains found at the site in 2002 are believed to be his, though DNA confirmation was not possible. The coroner found he most likely died from exposure in the rugged, inhospitable terrain while on foot without resources. This case highlights risks of vulnerable individuals—those with acute alcohol withdrawal, poor health, and confusion—being in isolated settings without adequate monitoring or medical intervention.