Not surprisingly, his wife, Vicki, has said his disappearance, after she last saw him at a Wodonga address where he was renovating a house, has been devastating.

Now police have received a report that someone resembling Mr Joseph has been seen at Hay. That has prompted an appeal for anyone with information about his disappearance to come forward.

The man seen at Hay was wearing a distinctive old Akubra hat, similar to one owned by Mr Joseph.

The sighting gives Mr Joseph’s family and friends hope that he is fit and well.

Yet they police want all the information they can garner about where Mr Joseph might be and how he might have got there.

It is a sign of a healthy community that people who can help come forward at such times to solve mysteries that cause so much grief for so many.

Given Mr Joseph’s disappearance is said to be out of character and his wife says she has no clue why he has not returned home, any details would no doubt be welcomed.

Even a snippet of information could be the key to solving this riddle and giving Mr Joseph’s family some peace of mind.