Joanne Lees 'secretly' returns to Australia to raise money for Peter Falconio's memorial

UK woman Joanne Lees has "secretly" returned to Australia to set up a roadside memorial for her boyfriend, Peter Falconio, who was shot and murdered in the outback 15 years ago.

The 43-year-old is hoping the memorial will warn foreign travellers of the potential dangers of journeying to the outback.

Ms Lees was at the centre of one of Australia's biggest manhunts after she heard her boyfriend get shot before being attacked and almost abducted by Bradley John Murdoch on July 14, 2001.

Ms Lees met with Aboriginal elders in Ti Tree, 200km north of Alice Springs, and pleaded with them to keep the search alive for Mr Falconio's remains. Photo: Supplied

She managed to escape Murdoch and hide in bushes before flagging down a passer by.

Murdoch was convicted of Mr Falconio's murder, but the British tourist's body has never been found.

Bradley Murdoch is serving 28 years for Mr Falconio's murder.

According to reports, Ms Lees met with Aboriginal elders in Ti Tree, 200km north of Alice Springs, in August and pleaded with them to keep the search alive for Mr Falconio's remains.

It was during this meeting she reportedly discussed plans for a roadside memorial.

Ms Lees, who has been living under the radar in Sydney and Canberra since May, chose Ti Tree because it was the last place that she and Mr Falconio refuelled and watched the sunset together.

The funds for the memorial will be raised during a one-day, invitation-only sale of Aboriginal art at Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Women’s Centre on October 28.

Joanne Lees and Peter Falconio were touring Australia in a VW Kombi campervan when they were ambushed as they drove north to Alice Springs by Interstate drug runner and trucker Bradley Murdoch. Photo: Supplied

Falconio's body has never been found.

The event will be supported by 2015 Australian of the Year anti-violence campaigner Rosie Batty and is to be opened by the British High Commissioner.

During her five-month trip, Ms Lees has been accompanied by Libby Andrew, the former police officer who stayed with her after her boyfriend's murder, and Gwen Brown, a former officer aid who was one of the first people on the crime scene.

She has also met with Aboriginal couple Pam Brown and Jasper Haines for the first time.

This is only the second time Ms Lees has returned to central Australia since the murder - the last occasion was in 2002 with a British TV crew.

Ms Lees and Mr Falconio were touring Australia in a VW Kombi campervan in 2001 when they were flagged down and ambushed by Murdoch, a convicted interstate drug runner and trucker.

Police stop vehicles at a road block near Barrow Creek where English backpackers Peter Falconio and girlfriend Joanne Lees where ambushed. Photo: AAP

Joanne Lees shows her injured elbow after the July 2001 incident and a shirt with Murdoch’s blood. Both were used as evidence in court. Photo: AAP

Mr Falconio then got out of the vehicle to talk to the man who had pulled up behind them when Ms Lees heard what she thought was a shot.

The man then reportedly appeared at the side of the vehicle and dragged her out.

Ms Lees said she fought, bit and scratched the man and was thrown into the front cabin of his vehicle.

When the moment arose, Ms Lees scrambled over the front seats of the van into the rear, dropped to the road and fled into the darkness.

She hid for five hours and found the courage to run to the road and wave down a passing truck and raise the alarm.

Police believe Murdoch wanted to kidnap and rape Ms Lees, who miraculously escaped the killer's grip after being punched and restrained in his own homemade handcuffs.

Ms Lees told the court she and her boyfriend had been followed by a four-wheel drive vehicle when the driver signalled them to stop due to an apparent problem with the exhaust. Photo: AAP

After the terrifying ordeal, Ms Lees found herself a prime suspect for the murder - even though Murdoch's blood was discovered on her T-shirt.