No justice for heartbroken families of Lao poisoning victims

July 20, 2026 — 5:21pm

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Heading off to explore the world has been a rite of passage for generations of young Australians who depart from our shores with little fear of the unknown, leaving behind their parents, who watch on with a mixture of pride and trepidation.

Nineteen months ago, two Melbourne teenagers set off on the South-East Asia backpacker trail and made it to Laos, like so many before. But Holly Morton-Bowles and Bianca Jones were never seen alive by their parents again.

The 19-year-old friends, along with two Danish women, a British woman and an older American man, were among a group of travellers who stayed at the Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng, attracted by cheap rates, clean rooms, an outdoor pool and free nightly drinks. However, they drank alcohol contaminated with lethal........

© The Sydney Morning Herald