Officers were called to the highway 13 kilometres south of Kew around 5pm, after someone who had been looking for a 39-year-old Port Macquarie man found a body on a nature strip behind concrete barriers.

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Detective Inspector Natalie Antow of Manning Great Lakes Police said it is believed to be the same man.

He was last seen walking southbound between Kew and Johns River on Thursday, 7 November and on Sunday morning, 10 November.

However, police do not believe he was hit by a car as no debris was found on the road.

“Anyone who may have been travelling south on the Pacific Highway in that area around Stewarts River south of Kew on Thursday evening, or [has] dashcam footage of that time, is urged to contact Taree Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000,” Det. Insp. Antow said.

“Thursday evening was [when] that large thunderstorm came through the area, so that potentially might jog anybody’s memory in relation to where they may have been on the highway at that time.”

A number of items were found at the scene, which has been forensically examined.

Just a day earlier, the body of a man believed to be in his forties and from the Hunter region was found in scrub at the side of the Pacific Highway at Nabiac.

He is thought to have died between 24 – 48 hours earlier.

A damaged motorcycle was found nearby.

By Sue STEPHENSON