Officers were called to the scene about 3.20pm yesterday after a member of the public made the grisly find.

Police believe human remains found in a creek beside the Vale Road yesterday may be those of missing Parkes man Ray Wehrstedt.

Mr Wehrstedt, 60, was last seen walking out of walked out of the Bathurst Base Hospital’s emergency department in June last year.

There has been no trace of him since, despite a number of full-scale searches of local waterways.

A crime scene was established and Chifley local area command detectives and forensic officers remained on the scene late into the afternoon.

They were working in difficult conditions as heat combined with a foul stench in the area to make life uncomfortable.

Once the remains are retrieved they will be transported to the Department of Forensic Medicine in Newcastle for a post mortem to confirm the cause of death.

Officers at the scene yesterday were remaining tight-lipped about the circumstances surrounding the discovery.

Neighbours said the overgrown creek, which passes below the Vale Road beside Ray Morcom Reserve, only flows following the heaviest downpours.

But the bed of the creek was chopped up badly following the fierce storms that hit the region on Christmas Day.

The creek is badly overgrown but is a popular play area for adventurous young children.

It is also a regular spot for dumped trolleys.

Police media issued a statement late yesterday calling for members of the public to come forward with any information relating to yesterday’s discovery.

They can contact Bathurst police on 6332 8699 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.