The remote township at the centre of manhunt for alleged triple murderer

Warning: This story contains the names and images of Indigenous people who have died.

Even by outback standards, Mount Hope is isolated.

The red dirt roads leading there from Lake Cargelligo, about 100 kilometres south, are bordered by mallee scrub too dense to drive through.

Only a handful of residents live within walking distance of the local pub, the Royal Hotel. Others in the area – too small for locals to consider it a town – live on vast properties stretching thousands of square kilometres. The 2021 census recorded Mount Hope had a population of just 16.

On a typical weekend, little is happening at Mount Hope. But on Sunday, the area became the centre of the large-scale search for accused triple murderer Julian Ingram.

In the early hours of the morning, dozens of police officers, including members of the heavily armed tactical operations unit, descended on Mount Hope after a member of the public reported seeing Ingram at a property in the area.

Search parties on Monday continued to focus on the remote area, moving from property to property to locate the 37-year-old.

Ingram is accused of shooting dead his heavily pregnant former partner, Sophie Quinn, 24, and her friend John Harris, 32, on Bokhara Street, Lake Cargelligo, before travelling to Walker Street and killing Sophie’s aunt Nerida Quinn, 50.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland said on Monday there were multiple properties under observation in Mount Hope.

“Each of those premises has multiple sheds, properties, houses, and our plan is to clear those premises in a strategic pattern,” he said.

“Given that the [alleged] offender is considered armed and dangerous, we are using the tactical operations team,” Holland said.

Rescue and bomb disposal units, drone squads and other aircraft, highway patrols and general duties police officers from across the region are also in Mount Hope assisting the search.

Holland did not say how many properties had already been cleared to avoid revealing the search pattern that police are continuing to work through.

“We have a number of properties that are yet to be searched and cleared,” Holland said.

Police have already cleared properties in Lake Cargelligo, Euabalong and Murrin Bridge, an Indigenous community where Ingram had often visited friends.

Holland suggested that any residents in the search area feeling insecure should remain in their homes.

“But again, they are not in lockdown. They can still freely travel about the area.

“For those people that are camping in the area or those people just visiting, my suggestion would be it’s probably time to go home,” Holland said.

The search for Ingram, also known as Pierpoint, will continue “at its current intensity” in the days to come, Holland said, noting the search conditions are not ideal.

“The temperature is expected to be about 45 degrees today … but again, the heat will not stop us,” he said.

The alleged triple murder came amid debate over firearm laws and ongoing efforts to combat domestic violence.

Thousands of attendees at an Invasion Day rally in Sydney’s Hyde Park on Monday raised their fists in solidarity as Aboriginal activist Paul Silva led a moment’s silence as posters of the victims were held aloft.

“These people you see here were deeply loved and they deserved so much better,” Silva said.

“May our ancestors guide them in their next journey through to the Dreamtime. May our ancestors comfort their loved ones, their community and everyone affected by this tragic event.”

The sole survivor of the alleged shooting rampage, Kaleb Macqueen, 19, told Nine News on Sunday that Ingram laughed as he shot Nerida Quinn, wounding him in the process.

“She was holding her neck and he was laughing and [allegedly] gave her one good shot to the head and she was gone.

“It was fight or flight – I just had to save myself, not that I could have done anything with Nerida anyway. I would have probably ended up dying if I went over to [her],” he said.

Macqueen sustained serious shotgun wounds to his head, arm, shoulder and leg and was taken to Canberra Hospital for treatment.

The rampage has prompted a warning from Domestic Violence NSW that the justice system was operating in a vacuum, blinding it to the risks posed by alleged repeat or escalating domestic violence offenders.

Court records showed Ingram had been issued six AVOs, protecting five people, including Sophie Quinn, since 2014.

NSW shadow attorney-general Damien Tudehope has suggested more electronic monitoring of alleged domestic violence offenders.

Responding on Monday, NSW Premier Chris Minns said police were investigating the circumstances around the decision to grant Ingram bail, but did not rule out future changes to the law.

“It’s best that we let the police investigation conclude first, but we’ve made major changes to domestic violence laws … because we’ve seen shocking crimes in the community and there’s a need for a change,” Minns said.

Footage aired by Nine News allegedly showed Ingram in an altercation outside Macqueen’s house weeks before the shooting, armed with a knife.

A voice from behind the camera yells to “Sophie” that the incident was being recorded.

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service (1800RESPECT) on 1800 737 732.

Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app.