True Crime Hour: The Phillip Island Murder

Vikki Petraitis is a bestselling author and chart-topping true crime podcaster based in Melbourne. In this limited monthly series, spend an hour with Vikki as we explore true crimes that shocked the state.

In 1986, the discovery of Beth Barnard's body in her farmhouse rocked the once peaceful community of Phillip Island. The main suspect disappeared without a trace and, to this day, no one has been brought to trial for her brutal death. A popular and attractive 23-year-old, Beth had been having an affair with a local married man.

On the night of her murder, a car belonging to Vivienne Cameron, the wife of Beth's lover, was found abandoned by the San Remo Bridge. Despite the lack of further evidence, a Coroner's Court found that Vivienne had killed her rival then jumped to her death into the waters of Westernport Bay. The case was closed, but not forgotten.

Please note: This event discusses topics such as murder and assault.