Police hunting a man who grabbed a 12-year-old schoolgirl and indecently assaulted her on the NSW mid-north coast hope the attack was captured on a passing driver's dashcam.

Authorities today launched a public appeal for witnesses to the attack early yesterday in Taree, admitting they had few leads so far.

A Taree resident contacted police about 6.30am yesterday after the girl turned up at the resident's home. The girl's mother reported her missing soonafter.

Police have been told the girl was in her backyard earlier that morning when a man grabbed her from behind, took her to nearby bushland and indecently touched her.

Taree detectives, along with members of the Port Macquarie child abuse squad, have spoken with the state crime command sex crimes unit and are investigating.

The only description police have of the suspect is that he was wearing a hooded jumper. They are appealing for public assistance to find him.

"As you'd appreciate this is a very serious allegation," Detective Chief Inspector Rod Blackman said.

"It is causing us to allocate a vast amount of resources because of course the public interest in these sort of matters is pretty high."

Inspector Blackman said police want to speak to anyone who was in the area or may have dashcam footage around Mudford Street and Telopea Drive between 5.30am and 6.30am.

"One of the difficulties we have in the investigation at the moment is we don't have much of a description of the alleged male involved in the incident," he said.

"So of course we are appealing to anybody who may have dashcam footage … likewise anybody who might have any information about people out and about that time."

Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.