Whangārei Heads woman missing overnight found close to home

Grant Conaghan QSM, Land SAR advisor and search manager, with detective Kim Adamson during the search for Sue Clarridge in Whangārei Heads. Photo / Tania Whyte

A Whangārei Heads woman with Alzheimer's missing for more than 12-hours has been found not far from her home.

Sue Clarridge, 74, went missing around 6.30pm on Wednesday after she went for a walk in McLeods Bay and failed to return home.

Her daughter penned a social media post asking residents to check their properties for any signs of Clarridge and to report them to police immediately.

The Advocate understands a full-scale search was launched last night involving six Police Land Search and Rescue (LandSAR) staff, six LandSAR volunteers, and the Whangārei Heads Volunteer Fire Brigade.

A police Eagle helicopter joined the search around midnight for an hour while ground crews continued to comb the area.

The search was paused around 3am today and resumed a few hours later with success.

Clarridge was found more than 2km from her home comfortably hunkered down in thick long grass near the overnight campervan carpark in Reotahi around 8.30am today.

The location is at the end of a popular walking track around the base of Mt Aubrey, that links Little Munro Bay and Reotahi.

Detective Kim Adamson, who helped oversee the search in her police LandSAR capacity, said Clarridge was found safe and well.

Adamson commended everyone who helped with the search and rescue effort - praising the huge involvement of the local firefighters as "fantastic" and the local community who turned out in numbers to help.

"It was the best outcome," Adamson said.

"When we got down to the fire station there were so many people hanging around just waiting for some to say go and search this area. Others said I've been here, here, and here and haven't seen her."

The strong showing of community spirit was evident last night when locals took it upon themselves to traipse the area's popular coastal walking tracks as well as bushwalks both in McLeods Bay and neighbouring bay Reotahi in the hopes of finding Clarridge.

Police were grateful the public reported sightings of Clarridge which helped narrow down the search area.

"The community spirit is just overwhelming," Adamson said.

In general, Adamson encouraged anyone who may spot someone alone, looking confused, to check in with them to see if they are OK.