A man has been arrested following a widespread manhunt triggered by a woman’s suspicious death.

A 36-year-old man was arrested near Kempsey by NSW Police on Monday afternoon, almost 12 hours after the body of his carer, 46, was found at a home in Buccan south of Brisbane.

The woman was reported missing from Ashgrove by a family member about 1am on Monday.

She had last been seen at The Gap about 7pm Saturday, around 5km from Ashgrove in Brisbane‘s north-west.

Her disappearance was described by relatives as unusual.

Police conducted a welfare check at the Buccan property, where the body of the missing woman was found on the back steps of the two-storey home.

The grim discovery sparked a manhunt for the 36-year-old male occupant, who was arrested about 2pm on the NSW Mid North Coast, about 465km south of Buccan.

NSW Police had attempted to stop his vehicle on the Pacific Highway in Coffs Harbour but he allegedly failed to pull over.

A woman's body was found at a home in Buccan (pictured) about 3.15am on Monday
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A woman’s body was found at a home in Buccan (pictured) about 3.15am on Monday

Police and forensic officers spent much of Monday at the home
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Police and forensic officers spent much of Monday at the home

Police continued a high-speed pursuit until the car eventually crashed into a culvert on Stuarts Point Road in Yarrahapinni, about 80km from Coffs Harbour.

He was taken to Kempsey Police Station and charged with police pursuit, driving dangerously and driving a motor vehicle while licence suspended. He has not been charged with the woman’s death.

The man was refused bail to appear at Bail Division Court on Tuesday.

Queensland detectives will travel to NSW to interview the 36-year-old.

Police will await results of a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of the woman’s death.

Detective Acting Inspector Justin Anderson earlier revealed that the woman regularly visited the man in a professional capacity as his carer.

‘As with any of these investigations, a standard part would be to interview any person that’s associated with the residence where this lady was found deceased,’ he said.

‘At this stage, it’s very early in the investigation. Police are keeping an open mind. We don’t know the cause of death at this stage. We have police, including forensic officers, still processing the scene.

A 36-year-old man was arrested 11 hours later near Kempsey on the NSW Mid North Coast
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A 36-year-old man was arrested 11 hours later near Kempsey on the NSW Mid North Coast

‘We won’t know the cause of death until a post mortem examination, so we need to keep an open mind until we find out what the cause of death is.’

Detectives, forensic officers and SES crews spent much of Monday examining the Buccan home.

‘At this stage we’re processing the residence. It’s an acreage address, and that’s the only crime scene that I acknowledge,’ Det Insp Anderson said.

‘The investigation is in its infancy, we don’t know the exact cause of death or what occurred leading up to the death, so I want to assure the community that we have a large team of investigators, forensic police analysts, the SES all engaged and trying to work out exactly what happened.’

Shocked neighbours told the Courier-Mail that the man had been living at the property for about a year.

Inquiries continue.

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers.