Australia’s Flinders Highway, a seemingly endless stretch of road cutting through Queensland, holds a dark secret. It’s a road stained with tragedy, linked to over a dozen unsolved disappearances and murders spanning nearly five decades, from 1970 to 2018. This Sunday, Seven and 7plus present “The Hunters: Murder Highway,” a chilling exploration of this infamous stretch of asphalt.
Investigative journalist Adam Shand and former detective Steve Van Aperen take on the roles of hunters, revisiting three particularly disturbing cold cases: the Mackay sisters, Catherine Graham, and the hitchhikers Anita Cunningham and Robin Hoinville-Bartram. Their investigation brings them face-to-face with the families left behind, still searching for answers, still haunted by the unknown.
Could these cases be the work of a serial killer? The team considers the potential involvement of notorious criminals like Ivan Milat, John Andrew Stuart, and Arthur Stanley Brown. The weight of these names hangs heavy over the investigation.
“The Hunters” doesn’t just rehash old facts. The documentary features a crucial eyewitness account from someone who spoke to Anita and Robin before they vanished in July 1972. This new piece of the puzzle could be the key to finally understanding what happened to the young women. Adding a further heartbreaking dimension, Anita’s brother, David Cunningham, joins the team, visiting a site where he believes his sister’s remains might be located.
With contributions from retired Queensland Police Detective Sergeant Mick Gurn, retired Queensland Police Officer Brian Beveridge, and forensic archaeologist Dr Louise Steding, “The Hunters: Murder Highway” brings together experience and expertise in a bid to crack these cold cases.
“The Hunters: Murder Highway” airs this Sunday, 9 March 9 on Seven and 7plus, following the first live performance of Australian Idol.
