August 2016 was a weird time for news in Australia, but nothing topped the story of the Tromp family. One day they were successful redcurrant farmers in Silvan, Victoria. The next, they were vanishing into thin air, leaving their phones on the kitchen table and the keys in the ignition of their cars. It sounded like the start of a horror movie.
Honestly, the "tech-free road trip" was anything but a vacation. It was a 1,000-mile spiral into collective paranoia that left the country staring at their screens in disbelief. Now, years later, people still ask: Tromp family where are they now? Did they ever figure out what snapped?
The 2016 Meltdown (Briefly)
To understand where they are, you've gotta remember how they left. Mark and Jacoba Tromp, along with their adult kids—Riana, Mitchell, and Ella—piled into a Peugeot and drove north toward New South Wales. They weren't running toward something; they were running away from a "threat" that didn't actually exist.
Mitchell was the only one who realized things were sideways early on. He'd snuck his phone along, but his parents made him chuck it out the window in Warburton because they thought it was a tracking device. Eventually, the family splintered like a dry piece of wood.
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- Mitchell bailed in Bathurst and took a train home.
- Riana and Ella left their parents at Jenolan Caves.
- Riana was later found in a catatonic state in the back of a stranger's ute.
- Ella drove back to the farm to feed her horses (classic horse girl energy, honestly).
- Jacoba was found wandering in Yass, 240km from where she was last seen.
- Mark was the last one found, spotted near Wangaratta airport after five days on the run.
Where Are the Tromps Now?
After the dust settled and the media circus packed up its tents, the Tromp family did something pretty remarkable: they went back to work.
If you drive through the Yarra Valley today, you won't find a museum or a "Paranoia Road Trip" tourist trap. The family has mostly retreated into a very deliberate, very quiet private life. They still own and operate their berry farm in Silvan.
Working the Farm
Mark and Jacoba returned to their roles as primary operators of the family business. While some expected them to sell the property and disappear, they did the opposite. They stayed. Neighbors and locals in Silvan have noted over the years that the family remains "straight-up workers." They are focused on the redcurrant harvests and the day-to-day grit of farm life.
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The Kids' Status
Mitchell and Ella were the most vocal in the immediate aftermath, giving a press conference where they basically said, "Look, our parents' minds weren't in a good place."
Ella Tromp faced some legal heat early on for "stealing" a car during the getaway, but those charges were eventually sorted out. She’s stayed close to the family and her horses. Mitchell, who was always the most "grounded" during the trip, has also kept a low profile, though he's occasionally mentioned in local farming circles. Riana, who arguably suffered the most severe psychological break during the ordeal, received extensive treatment. The family has protected her privacy fiercely ever since.
Was it Actually "Folie à Deux"?
Psychologists have obsessed over this case for a decade. The most common theory is folie à deux, or "madness of two," which in this case was more like folie en famille (madness of many).
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It’s a rare condition where a delusional belief is passed from one person to another. Usually, it starts with a dominant figure. In the Tromps' case, the mounting stress of the farm, lack of sleep, and some sort of unspecified "daily pressure" created a perfect storm. They weren't on drugs. They weren't in a cult. They were just... overwhelmed.
The family hasn't released a "tell-all" book. They haven't done a Netflix documentary. Honestly, that’s probably the healthiest thing they could have done. They apologized for the police resources used, paid their hospital bills, and closed the door.
Moving Forward: Lessons from the Silvan Mystery
The Tromp saga is a weirdly relevant reminder of what happens when the "always-on" nature of modern life meets high-pressure environments. While the family attributed the event to a "difficult period," the reality is that mental health crises don't always look like what we see in movies. Sometimes they look like a family in a silver SUV, driving until the gas runs out because they’re afraid of their own shadows.
If you’re looking for a dramatic update, you won't find one. No one moved to a desert island. No one started a cult. They are just a family in Victoria, growing berries and trying to keep the events of 2016 in the rearview mirror.
Next Steps for Readers:
If you're interested in the psychology of the case, look into "shared psychotic disorder" research from institutions like the Black Dog Institute or Beyond Blue. It provides a lot of context on how isolation and stress can trigger these rare collective episodes. For those in the Yarra Valley area, supporting local agriculture—like the various berry farms in Silvan—is the best way to keep the community thriving without prying into the family's private recovery.