Nikii Smith hoped the inquest into her father Ray Speechley's disappearance would bring some closure - but that's unlikely unless another official search is undertaken.
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Ms Smith supports the coroner's recommendations that another, more thorough, search be undertaken with more resources - and hopes police will too.
However, the coroner's report shows NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller was resistant to another search.
Over three days, from September 9-12, the inquest looked into the disappearance and suspected death of Mr Speechley in 2016.
On December 6, coroner Elaine Truscott released her finding that the 76-year-old dementia sufferer became lost in bushland after scaling fences at a Dalmeny retirement facility, hoping to return home to his wife.
He was never found.
The inquest determined Mr Speechley died of hypothermia in bushland west of the Princes Highway, north of the Dalmeny turnoff, some time between July 8-10, 2016.
The coroner found the South Coast should consider having dedicated general purpose, air scent and cadaver dogs available.
She also found that South Coast and ACT police should consider having emergency liaison procedures.
Importantly, she urged police consider that all land search operations for missing persons should continue for three days beyond the maximum survival period.
They should also conduct another, more thorough search of certain areas, using a fit-for-purpose cadaver dog.
However, according to the coroner's report, police were unconvinced it would help: "In relation to carrying out a further search with a cadaver dog, (the Commissioner) says there is no evidence that a cadaver dog would locate remains of this age, there is no evidence that there is a fit for purpose dog, there is no evidence identifying it would be reasonable to conduct another search of the same area where a search has already been conducted."
Ms Smith said that view was "weird, untrue and misleading". She said cadaver dogs could find bodies up to 50 years old.
She referred to the case of William Tyrell who disappeared aged three in 2014.
"Why did they send a dog out for William Tyrell's case earlier this year - which is five years old?" she said.
The authorities have six months to respond to the findings.
Ms Smith and supporters have spent days searching with drones and civilian search dogs.
She fears the commissioner won't act on the findings.
"We were on our own, doing our own searches, and we are still going to be," she said.
She said the other recommendations were crucial.
"They are so important for everybody on the Far South Coast," she said.
"To have a dog unit and an extra three days to search would help so many families."
She won't stop working to bring her father home.
"At least I can sit and talk to my grandfather at his plaque at the cemetery - you can touch it with your fingers and I know he is there," she said.
"But with dad - there is nothing. My heart feels like it's going to break."