Catherine Reid, Vicki Reid, Cheryl Goldsworthy and Susanne Armstrong prepare to release 25 white balloons, signifying the 25 years they have waited for answers about the murder of their childhood friend Catherine Headland.By Cam Scott
A QUARTER of a century has passed since the disappearance and death of Berwick girl Catherine Headland, yet the events of 1980 still haunt those close to her.
In a highly publicised case dubbed The Tynong North Murders, 14yearold Catherine Headland was one of four bodies found in a shallow grave in Tynong North in December 1980.
She had been missing since late August that year, unsighted since leaving her boyfriend’s home to catch a bus.
While no killer has ever been found and no definitive answers have been able to reveal the events leading to her death, Catherine’s Berwick schoolgirl friends Vicki Reid, Cheryl Goldsworthy and Susanne Armstrong are still determined to get to the bottom of the mystery 25 years on.
A memorial stone and plaque now take place of pride in the Cardinia Street park where the girls used to play, and last Saturday morning, the girls gathered to release 25 white balloons one for every year Catherine has been gone.
The message that they wanted to send far and wide is that they won’t settle until they find the answers they are looking for and can finally gain closure on the short but wonderful life of their childhood friend.
Cheryl Goldsworthy said she remembers Catherine as a young teenager, riding her bike around the block with her dog Shadow following on a lead.
Although she doesn’t remember much that happened between the time Catherine went missing and the time her body was found, she is hopeful that someone else can, even all these years later.
“Whoever did this has had 25years of living that Catherine hasn’t,” Ms Goldsworthy said.
“They’ve taken something away from her, from us and it hurts us every year that she’s been gone.”
Ms Reid said: “We want to keep people aware that it hasn’t been solved and see if anyone is prepared to speak out now about it after 25 years.”
“It’s never too late,” Ms Armstrong said.
The women say the events of August 1980 have changed how they approach their lives forever, and continue to affect how they raise their children.
They are, however, optimistic that this year might bring them a breakthrough, especially after their recent involvement in the filming of a television series called Sensing Murder, that they hope will be screened later this year.
“We just need closure,” Ms Reid said.
“That way Catherine can be at peace.”
