A YOUNG family of four from Daylesford is missing following Saturday's devastating earthquake in Nepal.
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Francis and Jen Comber and their two daughters Rani and Neve, were last in contact with their family a few weeks ago just before they began a trek in the Tsum Valley, north west of the capital Kathmandu.
Mr Comber's mother Dianne Comber said they had serious concerns about their welfare due to their close proximity to the earthquake's epicentre.
"They were trekking in the Tsum Valley, in the earthquake area," she said.
"No one's heard anything from them yet."
The remote areas and inhospitable terrain means contact is difficult in the best of times but the earthquake has knocked out communications infrastructure, making contact more difficult.
The family was on a long trip through Asia, arriving in Nepal after time in Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.
Ms Comber has been documenting their trip online.
In her most recent entry, from Laos on March 30, she wrote about their plans for Nepal.
"That's all for now, soon we will be in Nepal, but first a day in Bangkok to eat as much Thai street food as possible before we have to go," it read.
Mr Comber's sister Kate Good listed them as missing on Sunday night.
She said Ms Comber's father, Howard Brownscombe, had been in contact with the Australian government and was also trying to establish exactly where in the Tsum Valley they could be.
"They've spoken to Howard, and he's trying to get in touch with the trekking company too," she said.
The adventurous family left Daylesford in February last year, taking a caravan along the eastern coast, before heading over to Thailand.
Ms Good confirmed on Sunday evening they still had not heard from Francis and Jen.
Aftershocks have also made repair and recovery work difficult for the Nepali government and international helpers.
More than 300 Australians are still missing and The Courier understands that are people in the Ballarat region awaiting news of loved ones travelling in the area at the time of the earthquake.
Among those still unaccounted for is The Courier's much respected content director Eugene Duffy who left for Nepal three weeks ago. He is believed to be hiking in a remote part of the region.