KEY POINTS:
Police in Australia's Northern Territory have several sightings of missing New Zealander Jamie Stephen Herdman, but say they are unsubstantiated and the search for the missing man will continue.
The last confirmed sighting of the 26-year-old from Whakatane was at the small town of Daly Waters, about 600km south of Darwin, on November 30.
Mr Herdman was reported missing by staff of a pub there after his Nissan Urvan vehicle appeared to be abandoned, containing personal possessions and some cash.
Police today said there had been several sightings of Mr Herdman apparently hitchhiking along the Stuart Highway towards Katherine, and the most recent was on December 20 in Darwin.
"However, none of the sightings have yet been substantiated and the man's bank account has not been touched, nor has he contacted relatives."
A 400 square-kilometre air and ground search around the area Mr Herdman first went missing today had failed to turn up any sign of him, police spokeswoman Theresa Kuilboer told NZPA.
Mrs Kuilboer said police would continue to search for Mr Herdman and hoped publicity would turn up leads as to his whereabouts.
Although none of the sightings were confirmed, an initial sighting at Daly Waters on November 30 of him attempting to hitchhike appeared legitimate.
"We think we've got a fairly valid sighting of him right at the start."
Although Mr Herdman had not touched his bank account, that did not mean he had no money, Mrs Kuilboer said.
"Here in the Territory you can disappear quite easily and people still make money and so forth."
His grandfather, Don Herdman said from Whakatane it was not unusual for Jamie to be out of touch for a while.
But it was of concern he had left cash and belongings in the van.
"We are a bit concerned now that this is starting to develop into something," he told the New Zealand Herald.
He said Jamie grew up in Whakatane and moved to Australia about 18 months ago.
- NZPA
