Wanda Beach murders

The Wanda Beach Murders, sometimes referred to simply as Wanda, refers to the case of the unsolved murders of Marianne Schmidt and Christine Sharrock at Wanda Beach near Sydney on 11 January 1965. Their partially buried bodies were discovered the next day.

The victims, both aged 15, were best friends and neighbours. The brutal nature of the slayings and the fact that the twin killings occurred on a deserted, windswept beach brought publicity to the case. It remains one of the most infamous unsolved Australian murder cases of the 1960s.

Marianne Schmidt had arrived in Melbourne from West Germany with her family in September 1958. At the time, the Schmidt family consisted of parents Helmut and Elisabeth and Marianne's siblings, Helmut Jr., Hans, Peter, Trixie and Wolfgang. Another child, Norbert, was born in Australia the following year. After arriving in Australia, the Schmidts lived in a migrant hostel in Unanderra before settling in Temora. In 1963, Helmut Schmidt moved the family to Sydney after contracting Hodgkin's disease and they found a home in the suburb of West Ryde. In June the next year, Helmut Schmidt died.

Marianne's next-door neighbour was Christine Sharrock.

Christine Sharrock lived with her grandparents Jim and Jeanette Taig. Her father died in 1953 and her mother Beryl remarried and was living in the north-western Sydney suburb of Seven Hills. Christine moved in with her grandparents by choice and when the Schmidts arrived next-door, she developed a strong friendship with Marianne, who was the same age. It has never been revealed as to why Christine decided it was best for her to live with her grandparents and not her mother and stepfather.

On 1 January 1965, Christine and Marianne visited the beach at Cronulla, which had been a popular picnic spot for the Schmidts. The following day, the Schmidt children visited the beach there again without Christine. Elisabeth Schmidt had meanwhile been admitted to a hospital for a major operation, leaving Helmut Jr and Marianne in charge of the household. On 9 January, Marianne and Christine asked Elisabeth if they could take the younger children to Cronulla the next day and were given permission; however, rain prevented the trip.

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