In a recent session of the New South Wales Coroners Court in Sydney, disturbing evidence emerged regarding the 1988 death of Mark Haines, a 17-year-old Indigenous teenager found deceased on rural train tracks outside Tamworth.

His uncle, Don Craigie, testified that he discovered blood in the boot of a white Torana, a car that had remained near the train line for several weeks before he decided to inspect it himself.

Craigie reported finding a vinyl mat and a spare tire that appeared to have blood on them, prompting him to question the police's inaction regarding the vehicle.

He remarked on the delayed interest from authorities, stating, 'After the six weeks, (police) are not even interested in this car.' A detective who later conducted a rapid swab on the items concluded the blood was not human, according to Craigie's report.

Mark Haines was reportedly found on January 16, 1988, with a folded towel or blanket beneath his head and surrounded by cardboard boxes.

The original investigation suggested that Haines had either deliberately laid down on the tracks or had done so while in a dazed state following a car accident.

This explanation has been met with skepticism by Haines' family, who have long contested both the findings of the initial investigation and the open verdict delivered in 1988.

During the inquest, Craigie recollected a visit to an overpass to better comprehend how Haines could have ended up on the tracks, reflecting on the physical impossibility of accessing the area under certain conditions.

The inquest has drawn attention to ongoing rumors within the Tamworth community regarding local involvement in Haines's death, as well as deeper issues of racial discrimination faced by Indigenous families.

Craigie highlighted a racially charged term used to describe a resettlement area for Indigenous families in Tamworth, known as "Vegemite Valley," which he claimed stemmed from local police and taxi drivers.

'You'd jump in a taxi and say Coledale, and they'd say Vegemite Valley or 'veggie',' he stated, illustrating the broader social context of discrimination surrounding his community.

In a poignant recollection, Craigie described the moment he learned of his nephew's death while waiting at a taxi rank in Moree, about 250 kilometers from Tamworth.

He described the weather as dreadful, stating, 'It was raining, pissing down all around the area,' and shared that he was nearly overwhelmed upon receiving the news.

As the inquest approaches its conclusion, Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame will assess whether the original police investigation was adequate, a matter complicated by accusations of racial bias.

The hearings are expected to conclude with the coroner's reflection on the findings, and the family hopes for a re-examination of the events surrounding Haines's demise.