An 85-year-old man has vanished in a baffling mystery after leaving a pub with his wife and never arriving home.

John Backham left the Harrietville Hotel, in Victoria’s High Country, with his wife at 8pm Sunday night following their regular weekly meal at the venue.

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His wife usually walks the 500m home while he drives, but while she arrived at their house a short time later, her husband never did.

Backham was driving the couple’s 2007 silver Toyota Prado with registration WBD 077.

His car was spotted on the Great Alpine Rd near Dinner Plain just after 9pm. Forty-five minutes later, it was seen in Omeo, about 85km from his home.

Senior Sergeant Justin Foots from Victoria Police said the man’s age and the unusual distance travelled were major concerns.

“At this stage, his age is a concern to us, and that it’s out of character that he would drive by himself a distance like that,” he said.

“Certainly wouldn’t ordinarily drive too far. And certainly when he left his wife, they were intending to meet at home within the following sort of 10-15 minutes.”

Police have been searching right across the Alpine region but so far haven’t found any trace of him.