Police are appealing for public assistance to locate Gary Handley, who has been missing for 50 years, as part of this year’s ‘Answers Still Matter’ Missing Persons Week 2026.
Gary Handley, then aged 20, was last seen when he left home for a swim at Coogee Beach on Friday 28 May 1976 and never returned.
At the time of his disappearance, Gary was described as being of Caucasian appearance, 175cm tall, light brown hair and blue eyes, and was last seen wearing a t-shirt and swimmers.
Despite efforts by his family and the Eastern Beaches Police Area Command, Gary has never been seen or heard from again.
Gary’s sister, Karen Johnson said she’ll never forget the day her brother went missing.
“We were in our flat in Coogee. I think it was the morning. Gary came up to me and asked me to put sun cream on his back,” Karen said.
“Gary told me that he was going to the beach. He said, ‘have a nice day, and I’ll see you later’. This was the last time I ever spoke to him.
“If anyone out there knows what happened to my brother, please come forward and provide us answers.”
Missing Persons Week is an annual national campaign to raise awareness of the issues and impacts surrounding missing persons and runs between Sunday 2 August and Saturday 8 August 2026.
This year’s ‘Answers Still Matter’ campaign highlights the unwavering commitment of investigators to uncovering the truth for families seeking closure and communities wanting clarity.
Detective Inspector Paul Fenwick, Missing Persons Registry, said for Gary’s loved ones the uncertainty has lasted a lifetime.
“Fifty years is a long time for any family to live without answers, but our commitment to finding out what happened to Gary has never wavered. Time does not diminish the importance of uncovering the truth,” Det Insp Fenwick said.
“We have reviewed every available lead from 1976, but without new information, Gary’s disappearance remains unexplained. We are urging anyone who remembers the events around Coogee Beach that day to come forward so we can progress this investigation.
“The ‘Answers Still Matter’ campaign reflects exactly why we continue to revisit long-term missing person cases. No matter how many years have passed, answers still matter to families, communities, and to us as investigators.”
For more information on the campaign, visit: www.missingpersons.gov.au
For more information on Gary Handley, visit: https://www.missingpersons.gov.au/search/nsw/gary-handley
Anyone with information about Gary Handley is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is managed on a confidential basis. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
