Mackay coroner suspends Marilyn Wallman inquest as new witness called

A coroner has suspended an inquest into the disappearance of a 14-year-old Mackay schoolgirl, Marilyn Wallman, after a new witness came forward. The inquest was halted to allow for further investigation and for two brothers, Noel and Tommy Morris, to be called as witnesses.

Coroner David O'Connell said he anticipated that Marilyn's family would suggest that the two brothers were involved in her disappearance. Noel Morris had previously been identified as a person of interest, but Tommy Morris was not scheduled to testify.

Marilyn Wallman was last seen on March 21, 1972, while riding her bike to school. A piece of her skull was found in a cattle paddock two years later at McGregor Creek, 40 kilometres from Mackay.

The Wallman family is represented at the inquest by Marilyn's brother Rex, who can sit at the bar table and question witnesses. Mr. O'Connell said he expected suspicions about the two members of the Morris family to be raised in the court.

"I am anticipating, from the division within the wider Wallman-Morris family, that there may be a suggestion put to me at the end of the inquest," Mr. O'Connell said. "That perhaps Noel Morris and Tommy Morris had some involvement in Marilyn's disappearance."

The court heard that Tommy Morris was believed to have left Mackay for South Australia in the months after Marilyn's disappearance. Mr. O'Connell said the two brothers were yet to appear and would need a chance to respond to any allegations.

"Accordingly, when we recommence, Mr Noel Morris and Mr Tommy Morris will have to be available to give evidence," he said.

The inquest will resume on December 8. New public information also needs to be investigated before the inquest can continue. Mr. O'Connell told Rex Wallman that he realised the difficulty this may cause.

"But this is possibly our last opportunity to make progress for the matter," the coroner said.

The court had heard that progress in the inquest was slow because some witnesses and investigating officers were dead and others had cognitive decline. Mr. O'Connell said Michael Anthony Frances and Arthur Stanley Brown, whose involvement in Marilyn's disappearance was being considered, had also died.

He said those matters would "have to rely on investigation material".

Witness testimony

Witness Lyle Wright said he and his cousin Noel Morris were employed at the Goonyella coalmine, 145 kilometres west of Mackay, around the time Marilyn went missing. Mr. Wright told the court that he decided to leave work early on the morning Marilyn disappeared and drove to Mackay with her uncle, Tom Watson, to help search the Wallman farm.

Solicitor Robert Beamish, representing Noel Morris, queried changes in Mr. Wright's statements to police. He said that, in 2015, Mr. Wright told police he could not recall who travelled with him and that it "could have been 'Noelly' and Tom [Watson]".

"What we're getting at, is that his evidence becomes more certain over time as opposed to what ordinarily happens over the years."

Car colour debated

The court heard that Mr. Wright told investigators in 2016 that Noel Morris drove the same type of Holden sedan police were looking for. Mr. Beamish said that, at the time, the witness described Mr. Morris's car as a light-blue pastel colour Holden HD with a lighter coloured roof.

However, in a statement from 2015 shown to the court, Mr. Wright described Noel Morris's car as a "bluey-greeny" 1965-model Holden. Mr. Wright told the court that police had "sprung" the interviews on him, and that he had spent more time thinking about the events leading up to Marilyn's disappearance since then.

"I've probably contradicted myself over the years; I've been thinking about it."