Eleanor Thompson, a 35-year-old British woman from Mold, Flintshire, died in tragic circumstances while living her dream of exploring Australia in her self-converted van. The story, pieced together through a recent inquest at Denbighshire Coroner's Court in Ruthin, reveals a narrative of adventure, independence, and a sudden, heartbreaking loss that has left her family and friends searching for answers.
Known affectionately as Ellie, Thompson had set off on her solo travels in 2022, first journeying through Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam before heading to Australia in 2023. According to BBC News, she was living in her campervan and house-sitting for a friend in Burringbar, New South Wales, at the time of her death. Her adventurous spirit was well-known to those close to her. Her father, Peter Thompson, described her as someone whose "adventurous spirit could never be contained," adding, "Ellie’s life was full of adventure and movement." He reflected on her ability to make everyone feel seen and valued, saying, "Ellie made everyone feel seen and valued."
Ellie had spent 12 years in London before her travels, working in insurance, marketing, and events, including for Apple TV and the Groucho Club. She had a passion for music and dance, and her work brought her into contact with notable figures such as dancer Wayne Sleep and singer-songwriter Paolo Nutini. Her family described her as "as courageous as a lion, as curious as a cat and as delicate as a butterfly," and someone who "left lasting impressions on everyone she met," as reported by The Leader.
The events leading up to her death were meticulously reconstructed during the inquest. On March 4, 2025, Ellie worked a shift at The Middle pub in Mullumbimby. Two days later, she messaged her workplace to say she was experiencing car troubles and sent a video as proof. On March 7, her neighbor, Gary Breen, spoke with her about a tree he had chopped down—this would be the last time anyone saw her alive. The following day, March 8, she sent her final text message to her mother, Amanda Thompson, at 11:50 am, and later met a friend at 1 pm. After that, she was not seen or heard from again.
Ellie was scheduled to work another shift at the pub at midday on March 10 but failed to show up or inform her manager, something described as out of character for her. Concerned, her friends Gia Going and Art McCarthy visited the house where she was staying in Burringbar. There, they discovered her white Mazda van about 20 meters from the house, wedged into overgrown vegetation at the bottom of a steep incline. Beneath the vehicle, they found Ellie's body, face down. Emergency services arrived at 12:45 pm on March 11 and confirmed her death.
A post-mortem examination conducted by pathologist Allan Cala in Australia determined that she died from multiple injuries, including broken ribs, caused by being trapped and crushed under the van. As reported by the BBC, the van had rolled off the driveway and slid down the incline, but it was not possible to determine whether the handbrake had been left off. Notably, a detailed examination of the van by Kendrick Lee found no mechanical faults or defects that could have contributed to the accident.
The timing of the tragedy coincided with the aftermath of a severe tropical cyclone, named Alfred, which had battered New South Wales with powerful winds and flash flooding from February 20 to March 8, 2025. While the cyclone caused widespread damage in the region, coroner John Gittins stated that the weather was not believed to have played a direct role in Ellie's death. As quoted in The Leader, Senior Constable Brooke Sheehan of Tweedhead Police Station noted that, although the area was affected by the storm, there was no evidence to conclusively link the weather to the vehicle rolling.
The inquest heard that Ellie's family believed she died on March 8, as she had not contacted anyone after that date. Her mother, Amanda, said, "Ellie knew people were concerned, she knew I would be concerned. I would definitely have had a text on Sunday because in the text on Saturday she promised she would be in touch the next day." The coroner agreed, concluding that her death most likely occurred sometime after she arrived home on March 8 and before her missed shift on March 10.
The official cause of death was recorded as an accident, rather than the "misadventure" conclusion initially reached by Australian authorities. Coroner John Gittins explained that under UK law, "accident" was a more appropriate term for the circumstances. He extended his condolences to Ellie's family, telling them, "You must be incredibly proud." The family, in turn, spoke of the overwhelming support and tributes they received from friends and the wider community. Amanda Thompson shared, "The tributes we had on social media and from her friends, people who spoke at the funeral, it was truly, truly moving. It really has given us great comfort."
Despite the clarity provided by the inquest, some questions remain unanswered. The family, as reported in The Leader, expressed lingering uncertainty about why Ellie was in front of her vehicle when it rolled forward. The police suggested possible explanations, such as the incline of the driveway, inclement weather, or a failure to apply the handbrake, but no definitive cause could be established.
Ellie had been planning to return to the UK later in 2025, when her visa was due to expire. She had even promised her father a road trip, a testament to her enduring sense of adventure and her close family ties. Her story, though marked by a sudden and tragic end, is remembered by those who loved her as one of courage, kindness, and a zest for life that inspired everyone she met.
As the inquest drew to a close, the words of her family and the outpouring of tributes stood as a poignant reminder of a life lived with passion and generosity. The community, both in Wales and in Australia, continues to mourn the loss of a woman whose adventurous heart touched so many, even as they search for solace in the memories she left behind.
