An inquest has opened into the death of a man from Suffolk who died while travelling in Australia. 

Suffolk Coroners' Court in Ipswich heard Neill Willemsen was travelling in Sydney when he died on April 24 this year.

He was 26 years old at the time.

Opening the inquest on Friday, the coroners' court heard that Mr Willemsen had left his hotel for a night out the evening before he died.

Mr Willemsen suffered a fall when walking home. His body was discovered the following morning.

Ipswich Star: Inquest opens into the death of Neill Willemsen, 26, from Boxted, Family of Neill WillemsenInquest opens into the death of Neill Willemsen, 26, from Boxted, Family of Neill Willemsen (Image: Family of Neill Willemsen)

Mr Willemsen attended St Joseph’s Catholic Primary in Sudbury. He then went on to attend St Louis Middle School in Bury St Edmunds and later Ipswich School.  

He then studied engineering and sports coaching at West Suffolk College before starting his degree in agriculture at Writtle University.   

Mr Willemsen had spent four months on the South Island of New Zealand working on a dairy farm, before joining his sister Marianne in Vietnam.   

He then continued to Australia, where he was road tripping in a campervan and met his old university friends along the way. 

The inquest into his death has been adjourned until January 26, 2024, senior coroner for Suffolk Nigel Parsley said on Friday.

After his death earlier this year, Mr Willemsen's family paid a heartfelt tribute.

His sister Marianne said: “Neill was so excited to come home. He was ready for the next chapter of his life.  

"He lived life to the full. He never carried one ounce of worry and knew how to live his life completely carefree.

"He loved to be outside. He had endless energy, and still did at 26. 

"As soon as he could, he was out helping on the farm in the summer corn carting, and then became the combine driver."