Bega’s Rosemary Priscilla Mackie, who is accused of murdering the 26-year-old last year, will appear at the Supreme Court to face the charge on a date provisionally set as September 2. 

On Tuesday, June 14, she appeared at Bega Local Court via audio visual link from Sydney’s Silverwater Women’s Correctional Centre for a committal hearing.

The case had been adjourned multiple times, the most recent from Batemans Bay Local Court on May 27 as a pathologist report into how Ms Cave died was yet to be submitted. 

At Tuesday’s committal hearing, Magistrate Doug Dick retired to consider the brief of evidence against Mackie before he ruled if a trial could go ahead. 

While Mackie’s solicitor requested proceedings be delayed for a psychiatrist report to be prepared, on his return Magistrate Dick said it was “inappropriate” to delay any further. 

The magistrate also said there was a need to balance the rights of the accused with the rights of the victim’s family, some of whom were present in the courtroom. 

On the AVL screen Mackie, wearing an oversized green shirt, said she understood the hearing’s proceedings. She has not yet entered a plea and bail continues to be refused.   

Mackie was arrested at a property in Bega almost seven weeks after the body of Ms Cave was found by campers under Mogareeka’s Handcocks Bridge on the morning of October 14, 2015.

Ms Cave allegedly suffered a broken clavicle and skull, and strangulation on the night of her death.