According to Palmer's mother, Roach had been with a friend the evening he disappeared. He had gone to tell his partner he might have a drink with a friend he had met on their holiday, but this didn't end up happening.
The friend he was with thought he had gone back to his room, but he didn't return.
"They had been to Sea World that day," Roach said.
"Mum said the holiday was going perfectly - there were no arguments or anything."
Palmer said they had planned on going to Movie World the day after he disappeared. Roach had been telling his stepson how excited he was to tick it off the list of theme parks.
Instead, the family were now working with one of Roach's cousins, who lived in the area, to put out flyers and co-ordinate their own search.
In a statement, Queensland Police said Roach was last seen leaving a resort hotel on the Gold Coast Highway at Mermaid Beach around 11.30pm on Friday.
It was believed he was headed to Surfers Paradise.
"Police hold concerns for his welfare as he has made no contact with his family and his disappearance is very out of character," the statement said.
Roach was last seen wearing a white Crusaders rugby jersey with blue jeans and black sneakers. He is Maori and is approximately 180cm tall with a shaved head and a tattoo on his right upper arm.
He was also carrying a black bumbag.
Palmer said she was supporting her mother from Christchurch, where she was house-sitting for the couple.
She described her stepdad as a friendly guy and said the disappearance was entirely out of character.
"He's a real family guy. He wouldn't drink or go out very often, he's just really family orientated."
