Two Schoolgirls Viciously Murdered On Their Camping Trip
A fun weekend getaway turned into the most horrific bloodbath in Australian history.
High school is all about living in the moment and going on adventures with your friends. Lauren Barry, 14, and Nichole Collins, 16, were best friends who resided in the town of Bega, New South Wales, Australia. They set out to the nearest camping area, intending to spend Lauren’s birthday at White Rock. Little did they know they were on their way to a death trap worse than any nightmare they could have imagined.
Childhood Friendship Blooms
Born two years apart, Lauren and Nichole grew up together in the Kalaru neighborhood in the town of Bega. Lauren’s parents, Garret and Cheryl Barry, and Nichole’s parents, Graeme and Delma Collins, had known each other for the past decade. So, naturally, their daughters became best friends and went to the local Bega High School.
With Lauren’s fifteenth birthday approaching, the girls planned to throw a camping party at White Rock, not far from Kalaru. It was the ideal moment to celebrate because the Labor Day holiday was on Monday, giving them a long weekend ahead.
A Life-Changing Ride
On 3 October 1997, Nichole’s father helped the girls prepare the campsite at White Rock. They set up camp three kilometers away from Nichole’s house. The girls’ parents had given them permission on one condition; they would daily return to Nichole’s home to shower, eat, and change clothes. Graeme Collins also routinely contacted the girls at the camp to check on them.
Lauren and Nichole invited their friends over on 5 October as per the plan. After spending the day with them, the girls left the campsite at 9 pm to go to a nearby party. On the way, a Ford Telstar stopped beside them while they were walking on the Bega-Tathra Road. They caught the attention of the 28-year-old driver, Leslie Camilleri. He nudged his 23-year-old partner, Lindsay Beckett, to look at the girls.
