A mock inquest into the disappearances at Hanging Rock

Did they vanish? Were they taken? Or did they simply… drift?

On Valentine’s Day 1900, students from the prestigious Appleyard College boarding school went on a picnic to Hanging Rock. During the outing, several students and a teacher mysteriously vanished.

The disappearances caused widespread panic and speculation, deeply affecting the school and the surrounding community. Despite extensive searching, the missing women have never been found.

Learn about the Victorian coronial process as we explore how a re-imagined version of this case would proceed through a coronial investigation in 2025. Hear from Coroners and staff at the Coroners Court of Victoria and the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, as we discuss our role in investigating deaths in Victoria.

Following the presentation, we will delve deeper into the coronial process with an exclusive Q&A panel. Join the coroner, forensic pathologist, and court staff as they answer your burning questions and discuss the real-life processes that underpin coronial investigations today.