When 23-year-old Leisl Smith left home on the New South Wales Central Coast on August 19, 2012, she told her father she’d be back by five to feed her animals.

She never returned.

In this episode of The Missing Matter, Leisl's mother, Sandi Harvey, shares the story of the quirky, animal-loving young woman who preferred horses and swimming pools to crowded rooms—and the day her life changed forever.

What began as a routine meeting near Tuggerah Railway Station would become the start of a mystery that still haunts her family more than a decade later. Leisl was reported missing days after she vanished, and the investigation that followed would stretch across ten years, uncovering disturbing inconsistencies and ultimately leading police to charge the man they believed responsible.

With the verdict sealed by law and Leisl still missing, Sandi has been left navigating a grief without resolution. Yet her determination to speak, to push for change and to bring Leisl home has never wavered.

Because Leisl matters.

When 23-year-old Leisl Smith left home on the New South Wales Central Coast on August 19, 2012, she told her father she&rsquo;d be back by five to feed her animals.
She never returned.
In this episode of&nbsp;The Missing Matter, Leisl's mother, Sandi Harvey, shares the story of the quirky, animal-loving young woman who preferred horses and swimming pools to crowded rooms&mdash;and the day her life changed forever.
What began as a routine meeting near Tuggerah Railway Station would become the start of a mystery that still haunts her family more than a decade later. Leisl was reported missing days after she vanished, and the investigation that followed would stretch across ten years, uncovering disturbing inconsistencies and ultimately leading police to charge the man they believed responsible.
With the verdict sealed by law and Leisl still missing, Sandi has been left navigating a grief without resolution. Yet her determination to speak, to push for change and to bring Leisl home has never wavered.
Because Leisl matters.

For more than 25 years, Sally Leydon has been waiting for answers about her missing mum, Marion Barter.

In Season 2, Sal steps beyond her own story to speak with other families enduring the same unthinkable reality—the ambiguous loss of a loved one who has vanished without explanation.

These are raw, intimate conversations about hope that refuses to die, grief that never finds closure, and the strength it takes to live in the in-between. 

If you know someone who is dealing with a missing person, and would like to share your story, contact Sally at info@themissingmatter.com

 

For more than 25 years, Sally Leydon has been waiting for answers about her missing mum, Marion Barter.
In Season 2, Sal steps beyond her own story to speak with other families enduring the same unthinkable reality&mdash;the ambiguous loss of a loved one who has vanished without explanation.
These are raw, intimate conversations about hope that refuses to die, grief that never finds closure, and the strength it takes to live in the in-between.&nbsp;
If you know someone who is dealing with a missing person, and would like to share your story, contact Sally at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@themissingmatter.com">info@themissingmatter.com</a>
&nbsp;

Just when you thought the story was over, the questions only deepen.  In The Missing Matter: The Next Chapter in the Search for Marion Barter, Sally Leydon and investigative partner Joni Condos team up to reopen the 1997 disappearance of award-winning teacher Marion Barter. Across a global retracing of Marion’s final steps, never-before-heard evidence and interviews with key insiders shed fresh light on cash-trail anomalies, legal briefs, and unanswered questions.

The Missing Matter

Just when you thought the story was over, the questions only deepen. 

In The Missing Matter: The Next Chapter in the Search for Marion Barter, Sally Leydon and investigative partner Joni Condos team up to reopen the 1997 disappearance of award-winning teacher Marion Barter. Across a global retracing of Marion’s final steps, never-before-heard evidence and interviews with key insiders shed fresh light on cash-trail anomalies, legal briefs, and unanswered questions. The ad-free first episode lands on Apple Podcasts on 12 May 2025, with the full series opening up to all listeners two weeks later.

Just when you thought the story was over, the questions only deepen.&nbsp;
In The Missing Matter: The Next Chapter in the Search for Marion Barter, Sally Leydon and investigative partner Joni Condos team up to reopen the 1997 disappearance of award-winning teacher Marion Barter. Across a global retracing of Marion&rsquo;s final steps, never-before-heard evidence and interviews with key insiders shed fresh light on cash-trail anomalies, legal briefs, and unanswered questions. The ad-free first episode lands on Apple Podcasts on 12 May 2025, with the full series opening up to all listeners two weeks later.

Leisl Matters... 4,925 days missing

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/6f1ac039-c503-4dbc-b9db-b405002eb3de/transcript