Family posts $30k reward for recovery of missing kayaker
Saturday, 30 May 2026
The family of a man believed to have been swept out to sea near Greymouth in March have posted a $30,000 reward for information that leads to the recovery of his body.
Zarn Murphy was last captured on CCTV arriving at a house in Cobden, Greymouth, about 5pm on March 6 to collect his kayak, according to a statement posted on Facebook by his nephew Caleb Hunt.
“He had intended to paddle across to the fishing boat he worked on at the Blaketown side of the wharf via the Cobden lagoon, something he had done many times before without incident,” the statement said.
The following day, around 5pm, a person walking along Blaketown Beach saw what appeared to be Murphy washed up on the beach near the end of Robinson St, the statement read.
His kayak and paddle were located nearby, about 500m south of the Blaketown tip.
“When emergency services were being called, a wave swept him back out to sea. Despite a large-scale search involving police, helicopters, search and rescue, fire services, St John and members of the public, Zarn was never found and remains missing.”
The statement said investigators later confirmed CCTV footage of Murphy, who was in his mid 30s, walking along the Cobden floodwall at 7.45pm that Friday, pulling his blue and white kayak toward the ocean.
It said family were later told Murphy had been picked up near the local speedway by two men in a flat deck ute and dropped near freedom camping toilets at Cobden Beach where he entered the sea at sunset.
“This has not yet been officially confirmed.”
The statement said the family were trying to piece together Murphy’s final movements and were asking for help from anyone who may have seen him that evening.
“Did you see a shirtless man pulling a blue and white kayak on or near the Cobden floodwall, speedway, freedom camping area or tip-head on Friday evening?
“Were you camping or parked in Greymouth at Blaketown/Cobden area before sunset on March 6 around 8pm?”
According to the statement there were still many unanswered questions surrounding what happened.
“Some details and evidence do not fully line up, and the family is seeking clarity and closure. If you have any information, no matter how small, please come forward or contact police.
“Even the smallest detail could help us complete the timeline.”
In his Facebook post, Hunt said the reward was for any credible information that led to the recovery of Murphy or for verified information about what happened to him.
At the time the Greymouth Star reported that police suspected the missing kayaker was dead.
A previous version of this story attributed the Facebook statement to Caleb Hunt. Hunt said he posted the statement, but did not write it. (Amended at 9.10am on May 31, 2026)