The sister of McLeod's Daughters actress Simmone Jade Mackinnon has been found dead on Tamborine Mountain in Queensland's Gold Coast hinterland, just one day after the star made a desperate public plea to help locate her. Family members and friends, including Kym Mackinnon's own daughter, have since flooded social media with heartbreaking tributes to the 51-year-old.
The search and tragic discovery
Simmone Jade Mackinnon took to social media on Sunday appealing for the public's assistance in finding her sister Kym, who had last been seen on Guanaba Road at Tamborine Mountain. The following day, Monday, police confirmed that Kym's body had been located in the area.
Authorities stated that the death is not being treated as suspicious and that there is "no further information at this time." The sudden loss sent shockwaves through the family and through the wider community that had come to know Kym as a beloved dance teacher and performer.
Daughter Rayne Johnsen's farewell to her mother
Among the most moving tributes came from Kym's daughter, Rayne Johnsen, who shared a deeply personal message honouring her mother's influence on her life.
"To my dear mum, thank you for raising me, teaching me discipline and diligence, driving me to dancing Monday to Friday after school for 15 years, the endless weekend road trips to Byron to visit good old aunty Maggie," Rayne wrote.
She described how her mother instilled in her the confidence to chase any dream: "You always believed in me and in every dream and ambition I had. You made me believe that I could do anything, and you were always there cheering me on as I picked up yet another hobby or chased another dream."
Rayne also celebrated the performer her mother was at heart, writing: "To the showgirl, the dancer, the star — you sure knew how to put on a show, both on stage and off."
A dance community mourns one of its own
Beyond her family, Kym was remembered warmly by those she taught throughout her years as a dance teacher. One former student described her as "so humble, never wanting to be in the limelight and never taking the credit she so deeply deserved."
The student recalled the profound impression Kym made on a generation of young dancers: "When Kym arrived in the studio when I was an adolescent, I'll never forget the impact she had on all of us — she had this incredible ability to make so many of us feel truly so seen."
"She is iconic," the tribute continued. "Kym was one of the first teachers to show me how to express my heart through movement. I don't think she ever truly knew just how much we all loved and looked up to her."
About Simmone Jade Mackinnon
Simmone Jade Mackinnon is best known to Australian television audiences for her role as Stevie Hall in the long-running rural drama McLeod's Daughters, which she joined from its third season. The series ran for nine years and collected eight Logie Awards during its celebrated run.
Born in Mount Isa, the actress also appeared internationally, playing Allie Reese in Baywatch Hawaii, where she met actor Jason Momoa. The pair dated between 2004 and 2006 and were engaged during their relationship. After stepping back from acting for a number of years, Mackinnon returned to screens more recently to win the adventure reality series The Summit.
The tragedy follows her very public appeal for help in finding her sister, a plea that ultimately ended in heartbreak for the entire family.
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