National Missing Persons Week 2026

National Missing Persons Week (NMPW) runs from Sunday 2 August to Saturday 8 August 2026, raising awareness of the impact of long-term missing persons on families and the community.

This year’s campaign, coordinated by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC), focuses on age-progressed images to demonstrate how a long-term missing person may look today while recognising the ongoing pain and uncertainty experienced by their loved ones.

This year’s South Australian campaign highlights Mark Anthony Barnes, who was 23 years old when he disappeared in November 1986 while working for Australian National Railways at Cook on the Nullarbor Plains.

Despite extensive investigations, Mark’s disappearance remains unsolved and there have been no confirmed sightings since he went missing.

For the 2026 campaign, the AFP Facial Identification Team has created an age-progressed image of Mark.

Age progression combines forensic expertise with digital imaging to create the most likely representation of a missing person’s current appearance.

While changes such as hairstyle, hair colour, facial hair and weight can alter a person’s appearance over time, these images provide investigators and families with a valuable tool to generate new leads and encourage public recognition.

Images courtesy of missingpersons.gov.au

Anyone with information about Mark Anthony Barnes’ disappearance is encouraged to contact:

* Crime Stoppers: Online, or by calling 1800 333 000 .

To obtain additional information about National Missing Persons Week contact:

* SAPOL Missing Persons Investigation Section: (08) 8172 5467.