Ms Vaughan, who disappeared 11 years ago, was last seen accepting a lift with a stranger at the corner of George and Keppel streets after a night out with friends at The Tavern.

Her family, who were in Bathurst for the anniversary of the disappearance, told the Western Advocate last Friday that they were pushing for the case to be reopened, adding if that happened the outcome “would be huge”.

And 48 hours later, Detective Superintendent Mick Willing of the Sydney-based Homicide Unit confirmed the case would be reviewed.

Ms Vaughan’s brother Adam yesterday welcomed the news that homicide were taking over the investigation from the Professional Standards Unit, saying he hoped something would come out of the development.

Since Janine disappeared 11 years ago two strike forces and a Police Integrity Commission investigation, which looked at allegations of police corruption in the case failed to find out what really happened to the vivacious store manager.

In September 2009, after 10 days of evidence over two hearings, State Coroner Mary Jerram found Janine Vaughan had been murdered by a person or persons unknown and her body disposed of in such a means that is has not been found.

However, refusing to give up, the family initiated their own investigation and in the last two years have spent countless nights talking to people and trying to find out what really happened to her.

The decision by police to review the case was announced on Monday.

At the same time it emerged a woman had contacted the family about a handbag she found two-and-a-half years after Ms Vaughan disappeared.

The woman told the family the bag, which she found in a drain near The Scots School contained documents relating to Ms Vaughan inside the bag.

While there is now no trace of the bag - which, as Mr Vaughan said, had gone missing like Ms Vaughan’s diary - the news has given the family a new hope. 

“It’s massive,” Adam said of the development, adding it also raised many more questions.

“Was she alive longer than just that night [December 7, when she disappeared]?” he asked.

“And who put the bag there? Did she put it there to let someone know something had gone wrong?”

Mr Vaughan said the family had other explosive information, which could not be made public at this point.

He said the family was happy that homicide was taking over the case, but after their experience they were still wary.