The body was discovered near Fullerton Street about 11.45am on Wednesday.

It came following a plea from Mr Baker's parents and girlfriend, Mia Lowe, to help find him.

Mr Baker, 20, had not been seen since leaving popular Newcastle nightclub Argyle House in the early hours of June 16.

He had had a few drinks and decided it best to meander back to the Carrington home they shared after having a tiny lovers' tiff with Ms Lowe earlier in the night.

He never arrived, and after six days without any contact, Ms Lowe and his family feared the worst.

He was believed to have been seen near the Port Waratah Coal Services entrance at Carrington about 1.30am,

Tugboat workers saw a man swimming in the harbour about 2.10am.

That was where the trail went cold: no clothing nor items were found ashore, his phone was off, his bank and social media accounts had not been touched and he had failed to contact any family or friends.

"He was very family orientated and very, very loyal to his friends, so I believe if he went away he would not leave us hurting," his mother, Fran Baker, said.

"We are getting through as best we can and we are part of a very supportive community, which has really helped to relieve the pain.

"We are just waiting until we know what has happened and hoping that he will turn up still, but the logic does really stack up."

That logic included Mr Baker missing his work at Hunter TAFE, which included the last two days of semester that "he just wouldn't miss, not let them down like that".

Mr Baker and Ms Lowe, who have been together since last September, had been out celebrating with friends before she went home.

Friends say Mr Baker had about seven drinks before he left.

"Obviously he got lost that night," Ms Lowe said, "and wasn't in the right state of mind, but he had a very heavy jacket on and big shoes, you would think he would have taken it off or left something on the shore before going in.

"I am trying to stay positive.

"If he is out there, he needs to tell us he is safe and if he needs time away, that's fine."

Water police and the Hunter Westpac rescue helicopter were used to sweep across the harbour in the days since Mr Baker went missing.

"If any good can come out of this is that Newcastle is a very small community and a very supportive community," Mrs Baker said.

"To remind young people that if someone does not appear to be in the right state of mind, that they have had too much to drink or partied too hard, or had a fight with a friend, please look out for them."

On Wednesday, police informed Mr Baker's family and Ms Lowe of the tragic discovery.

Newcastle Herald

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