Ms Vaughan's brother and sister, in particular, have been doggedly pursuing answers in this case for almost 18 years now.

They feel they are unable to properly farewell their beloved sister until they can say for sure what became of her.

Even an inquest into Ms Vaughan's disappearance in 2001 from a Bathurst nightclub has failed to provide a definitive explanation for what happened that night.

The inquest considered a number of theories and speculation but, in the end, could deliver only an open finding.

But the Vaughans and police remain convinced there must be people out there who can fill in the gaps from December 7, 2001 and they hope the lure of a $1 million payday may be enough to finally bring one of those people forward.

The increased reward also brings this case into line with the $1 million now being offered for information leading to the arrest of Jessica Small's killer, while there is still $750,000 being offered in the Andrew Russell case.

They are big numbers and they tell a harrowing tale of three dark stains on Bathurst's history. But each increased reward has been welcomed by the respective families who cling to every faint hope of a breakthrough.

Our community cannot allow the disappearance and presumed murder of these three young people - each in unrelated circumstances - to fade from our collective consciousness.

We owe it to Janine, Jessica and Andrew to support any move that might finally shed light on their final moments, and ensure that those responsible for their deaths are made to pay for their crimes.

On the flipside, though, is the stark reality that the announcement of such a reward is almost the last roll of the dice for investigators.

Only after countless leads have come to nothing will a reward such as this even be considered.

If still no arrest can be made then police, the Vaughans and the broader Bathurst community may have to finally accept the unpalatable likelihood that the case will remain forever unsolved.

Only one person - Ms Vaughan's killer - could want that to be the case.

For everyone else, the only way to bring full closure to this terrible mystery is for justice to finally be served.