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Jurors overseeing a high-profile Australian murder trial have traveled to the remote shore where the young woman was discovered.

Toyah Cordingley was multiple times attacked with a sharp object and placed in a sandy grave with little or no hope of surviving, the court has heard.

Her body were found by her father the following day on Wangetti Beach – a section of coastline between the tourist centres of Cairns and Port Douglas.

The accused, 41, denies murdering Ms Cordingley on a weekend in October 2018 in northern Australia.

Court Inspection to Beach

The panel of 10 men and two women plus three back-up jurors visited the beach along with the judge and barristers on Monday morning in Queensland.

In a nod to the tropical conditions and sweltering heat, the judge wore a casual top, sport shorts and sneakers rather than traditional court attire.

Both the prosecuting and defence barristers chose casual shirts, bottoms and headwear.

Scene Particulars

The court members were guided around three-quarters of a mile along the beach to see where Ms Cordingley's body were discovered.

Upon arrival, as they traveled to the site, four markers showed where the vehicle had been left.

The trip was designed to help the jurors become acquainted with key locations in the trial and no testimony was given.

Context of the Case

Last week, the court was informed that the following day Ms Cordingley's body were discovered, the accused flew from Australia to India – leaving behind his wife, family and parents.

He was out of contact until he was apprehended years after, the state said.

Prosecution Case

It is claimed that Mr Singh, who was working as a nurse in the town of Innisfail, near Cairns, had a confrontation with Ms Cordingley.

The victim was discovered wearing a swimwear, with all her other clothes and most of her possessions absent.

Those objects were taken by the killer to conceal evidence, the prosecution contend.

Her pet, Indie, which Ms Cordingley had taken to the beach for a stroll, was located tied up to a post hidden in shrubland about 30 metres from the burial site.

No murder weapon was ever recovered, and no eyewitnesses have been found.

But the prosecution says the crown's case – though indirect – was made up of proof that indicated Mr Singh "and eliminated others."

This will involve evidence that DNA obtained from a object at the location was 3.8 billion times more probable to have originated from Mr Singh than a unrelated individual of the population.

The court has already heard evidence suggesting that Ms Cordingley's mobile device left the scene after the killing – and that its movements corresponded with those of a blue Alfa Romeo belonging to the defendant.

Mr Singh's quick exit from Australia also pointed to his guilt, the state has claimed.

Defence Stance

"While authorities were finding Toyah's remains, he was arranging... a rushed one way trip back to India," Mr Crane said last week as he began arguments.

The defense is yet to provided testimony, but in his opening address, Mr Singh's barrister the lawyer described his defendant as a "placid" and "caring" man, who was in the "incorrect location at the wrong time."

He also foreshadowed evidence to come subsequently that, after his apprehension, Mr Singh told an plainclothes agent he had seen assailants attack Ms Cordingley and then had fled in fear – something he said was his "gravest error."

The defense attorney has also said he will give evidence about individuals "both known and unknown" who should come under investigation.

Further Testimony

Ms Cordingley's boyfriend at the time, Marco Heidenreich, whom authorities quickly ruled out as a person of interest, was one who gave evidence last week.

The trial heard he was an initial person of interest – and that he had been interrogated from Ms Cordingley's father about whether he was involved in his partner's disappearance, even before her remains were discovered.

Photographs showing Mr Heidenreich on a hike with a friend on the date Ms Cordingley went missing have been shown to the jury, with an specialist saying he was confident the pictures were genuine and had not been doctored in any way.

The case will resume to the more conventional setting of the courthouse on the next day.