Trail bike riders stumble upon woman's body in livestock trough - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Trail bike riders made the discovery on Monday morning. (ABC North Coast: Lachie McLeod)

Police believe a body found partially submerged in a trough on a northern New South Wales property is female, but are unable to identify it due to decomposition.

A pair of trail bike riders found the body while riding on a track through a property at Kyogle Road at Terragon at about 11:20am on Monday.

Police said the body was found submerged in a tank used to treat livestock for ticks and other parasites.

A crime scene was established overnight at the property, which is about 20 kilometres south-west of Murwillumbah.

Detectives and specialist forensic police attended the property and examined the scene and the body.

Forensic and specialists officers were called to the scene. (ABC North Coast: Lachie McLeod)

Detective Inspector Matt Zimmer Crime Manager Tweed/Byron Police District said a full post-mortem would be needed to identify the body.

"The body is believed to be that of a female, but due to the state of decomposition of that body I am unable to provide any further details," he said.

The body was found 300 metres off the road and down an overgrown track.

"Due to the location fo the body, the remoteness of the area the absence of a vehicle or any other mode of transport, we are treating this death as suspicious," Inspector Zimmer said.

Inspector Zimmer said the body was found by chance when two riders inspected the livestock dip while riding on a nearby trail.

They stopped in at the stock dip and looked in at what they believed was a body," he said.

"They contacted emergency services, police and ambulances attended a short time later and we were able to confirm it was a body."

Detective Inspector Matt Zimmer says police are treating woman's death as suspicious. (ABC North Coast: Lachie McLeod)

The property where the body was found was on Crown land.

Police spoke to neighbours and took a number of statements.

Inspector Zimmer said he was unable to determine how long the body had been there for.

"We are checking our missing persons register both in NSW and in Queensland," he said.

"The body was in quite an advanced state of decomposition.

"At this time we’re unable to establish any link between the body and any missing person."

Emergency services planned to remove the body earlier today.

A post-mortem examination is set to be conducted this week to determine the woman's identity and cause of death.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Tweed Heads Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.