Mr Russell’s father Bruce Herbert, stepmother Sue Wallace and sister Kiara first raised the issue in January.

The family “absolutely” believe there are people in Bathurst who know where Mr Russell is buried and say a reward of $100,000 or even $50,000 would be enough to entice those people to come forward to police and lead officers to the remains.

In November 2009, not long after Mr Russell was reported missing, NSW Police issued a reward of up to $1000 payable for information which leads to an arrest in the case.

The figure was seen as an insult to Mr Russell’s family and they called on the NSW Government to issue a reward of not less than $50,000.

On Monday, Chifley Local Area Command crime manager Detective Inspector Luke Rankin confirmed police had begun the process of applying for a significant reward in the case.

For Mr Russell’s family, the news brings hope that one day they may be able to bury their son, and those responsible for his death will be convicted.

His stepmother Ms Wallace said she was happy to hear police had begun the process of applying for the reward.

“If they offer a decent reward, I’m positive someone will come forward and we will finally be able to lay Andrew to rest,” she said.

She and Mr Herbert said they believe there are people in Bathurst who know where Mr Russell’s remains can be found.

“The people who know, they’re all druggies, so $50,000 would be enough to get them talking,” she said.

But she said without the reward it was unlikely they will come to police.

“If you offered them money, there would be no loyalty,” she said.

“They would definitely come forward.”

Detective Inspector Rankin confirmed the reward was something that was being pursued by police with the coroner’s office.

“We’re in the process of making an application. Our efforts in that area are progressing, and we are hopeful of an outcome,” he said.

Mr Russell was last seen alive in June 2009. 

After a lengthy investigation, two men, Tony Simmons and Kieren Moore, were charged in relation to his disappearance.

Moore was charged with being an accessory after the fact, but the matter against him was discharged by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Simmons was charged with Mr Russell’s murder, but was found not guilty after a judge-alone trial spanning 14 weeks, before Justice Peter Hamill.

However, in handing down the sentence, Justice Hamill said the evidence he heard during the trial caused him to have “grave suspicions” that Simmons killed Mr Russell.

However, the timing of the events and the possibility Simmons was big-noting himself to undercover police operatives caused Justice Hamill to have both substantial and reasonable doubt, and he was found not guilty