Ivan Milat - inspiration for wolf creek movie 🎥

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a series of brutal murders shook the city of Sydney, Australia. The killer, who became known as the "Backpack Killer", preyed upon young backpackers and international tourists, leaving a trail of devastation in his wake.

The first victim was 21-year-old German tourist Simone Schmidl, whose body was discovered in a park in 1989. Over the next several years, the bodies of other young travelers were found - British backpacker Anja Habschied, German citizen Gabor Neugebauer, and Australian resident Domenic Virtuoso. All had been savagely beaten and murdered.

What made this killer particularly chilling was his method of operation. He would target lone backpackers, often luring them with the promise of a ride or aid with their luggage. Once he had gained their trust, he would viciously attack them, beating them to death with a blunt object, likely a piece of wood or metal from his own backpack.

The killer's use of a backpack as his weapon of choice earned him the notorious moniker "The Backpack Killer". It also demonstrated his calculated, predatory nature - using an innocuous, everyday item to commit his heinous crimes.

Police struggled to identify the perpetrator for years, as the victims came from different countries and backgrounds. It wasn't until 1993 that a breakthrough occurred when DNA evidence linked the murders to a single individual - 28-year-old Englishman Ivan Milat.

Milat, a handyman and road worker, was arrested and eventually convicted of the seven backpacker murders. During his trial, the depth of his depravity was laid bare - Milat had not only killed his victims, but also mutilated their bodies, keeping some of their personal effects as macabre trophies.

The Backpack Killer case sent shockwaves through the international community and forever changed the way backpackers and tourists viewed the risks of travel. Milat's crimes demonstrated the dangers that even the most vulnerable can face, and the importance of remaining vigilant, even in seemingly safe environments.

This man is the inspiration behind the movie wolf creek