Nearly two years after Ouse man Trevor Foster disappeared in floodwaters, his family may finally have closure.
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The 81-year-old was washed away from his home while feeding sheep during the catastrophic events in June, 2016.
A major search followed, but no trace of Mr Foster was found – until this week.
Tasmania Police confirmed on Thursday a body had been found in Meadowbank Dam at Ellendale on Wednesday night, about 20 kilometres from where Mr Foster went missing.
It was believed to be the Ouse man, but the formal identification process was continuing with the body taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital.
His nephew and champion axeman David Foster said it would be positive news for his family.
“It seems like it is uncle Trevor,” he said.
“As sad as it is, the family is quite relieved in a sense, they can now have closure. We may now have a body.
“It was a really terrible thing to have hanging over my aunty’s head over the last nearly two years.”
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Road works in the Ellendale area led to water being taken from the dam, lowering levels and leading to the discovery.
“A farmer saw someone in the middle of the dam, he still had his boots and trousers on,” Mr Foster said.
Tasmania Police Acting Inspector Adrian Leary said the clothing found on the body matched what Mr Foster was wearing when he disappeared.
He said it was “likely” to be Mr Foster, but police could not “100 per cent” confirm the identity at this stage.
“There will be a forensic examination and comparison of DNA,” Acting Inspector Leary said.
“Once that has occurred, the body can be released to the family for burial.”
Acting Inspector Leary also confirmed the area where the body was found had been searched after the floods, but water levels at the time impacted efforts.
The 2016 floods claimed the lives of three people, including Mr Foster.
Scottsdale’s Peter Watson was delivering newspapers when the 63-year-old accidentally drove his van into floodwaters at Evandale and drowned.
Latrobe woman Mary Allford, 75, died after flood waters inundated her home.
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