Yvonne Whear's car found in Rous River seven months after she vanished

A gold Ford Escape SUV belonging to missing woman Yvonne Whear has been found at the bottom of the Rous River near Dulguigan, less than 10km from her home in Dungay.

The 73-year-old was last seen driving towards her home near Murwillumbah in February. Her family had been searching for her for seven months.

Last sighting

Whear was last seen on the afternoon of February 19, when her car was recorded on CCTV travelling along Queensland Road in the direction of her farm near Murwillumbah.

Her daughter, Gillian Hallac, said her mother had been to an art class at TAFE on the day of her disappearance. She was also seen at the Shell service station on Tweed Valley Way at Murwillumbah around 3:15pm.

The boots and hat she was wearing in CCTV footage from the service station were found at her house in Dungay.

Phone records have revealed Whear watched some videos and shortly before 5pm checked her voicemail. It was her last known activity.

Car discovery

The gold Ford Escape SUV was pulled from the Rous River near Dulguigan on Saturday, September 12. It was discovered around three weeks ago by an independent search organisation, which had offered to help the family find Whear.

A sonar image of the car in the river was provided to police, who then conducted a forensic examination of the vehicle and recovered several personal belongings believed to be Whear's.

However, Whear's body was not found inside the vehicle and she remains missing.

Family's fears heightened

Gillian Hallac said the discovery of her mother's car had heightened the family's fears about what might have happened to her.

"I've always believed Mum didn't just leave and that someone had taken her and hidden the car," she said.

"So finding the car where it was has reinforced what I've felt all along."

Hallac has urged anyone with information to come forward.

"We want anyone in the local Murwillumbah and the surrounding areas with information about what happened to Mum, or if they know of anyone who may have wanted to harm her, to come forward," she said.

Police are continuing to investigate and are appealing for anyone with information to contact them.