A woman has come forward with horrifying details of being attacked in the same area where Australian mother Samantha Murphy went missing last week.
It comes as Victoria Police continue the search for 51-year-old Murphy, after she never returned home from her morning run in Ballarat at about 7am on Sunday.
Murphy's disappearance has been described as out of character and the police have concerns for her welfare.
On Wednesday, CTV footage was released showing Murphy running through her neighbourhood wearing black leggings and a brown singlet.
She is described as caucasian, about 173cm tall, of slim build and with shoulder-length blonde hair.
Ballarat locals have come together in efforts to locate the missing woman, with one Facebook page dedicated to the search involving more than 7000 members.
Local woman Sissy Austin, 29, has since revealed she was brutally attacked while out jogging in the same area.
Austin said she was attacked with a homemade weapon on February 11 last year, almost one year before the day Murphy went missing.
She was out running on a popular track in the Lal Lal State Forest, less than 20km away from the track where Murphy often ran.
"I'd normally run 4km into the bush and then turn around," Austin told news.com.au.
"I was almost at the 4km turnaround point when I was attacked.
"All I remember is seeing a male for a very quick moment and the rock tied to a stick coming for me.
"I woke up on the forest floor, I have no idea how long I was on the ground for."
"The whole bush was spinning. I knew those tracks well but once I stood up everything was blurry. I got very lost trying to find my way back to my car."
After finding her car, Austin told news.com.au she called the police and was admitted to hospital with a severe concussion.
In the days following the attack, police said the attacker was believed to be a caucasian male with black jeans, a cap and no shoes or shirt - but no arrest was made.
Since the news of Murphy's disappearance, Austin told news.com.au she felt devastated.
"My heart breaks for Sam's family, friends and community first and foremost. I am out searching for Sam too and I pray she is found," she said.
